China Masters 2026: Satwik-Chirag Survive Popov Brothers Thriller to Reach Quarterfinals

India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are through to the quarterfinals of the China Masters 2026 after surviving a dramatic three-game battle against France’s Popov brothers.

The fourth-seeded Indian duo defeated Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov 21-17, 22-24, 21-9 in 69 minutes at the BWF Super 750 tournament, recovering emphatically after letting slip match points in the second game.

It was a performance that had almost everything long rallies, momentum swings, service-return battles and a tense second game that threatened to send the match in a very different direction. But when it mattered most, Satwik and Chirag produced their best badminton of the contest.

Satwik-Chirag survive second-game scare

The Indians made the stronger start and took the opening game 21-17. Satwik and Chirag were able to dictate the exchanges for long periods, using their attacking game to keep the Popov brothers under pressure.

The French pair, however, refused to go away. The second game developed into a thrilling back-and-forth contest, with neither combination able to establish a decisive advantage. Satwik and Chirag reached match point opportunities and appeared to be on the verge of closing out the contest in straight games.

The Popovs held their nerve.

Christo and Toma Junior saved the match points and eventually took the second game 24-22, forcing a decider and giving themselves renewed belief. For Satwik and Chirag, it was a frustrating missed opportunity. The Indian pair had done enough to put themselves in a position to finish the match early, only for the French duo to extend the contest.

There were also moments of tension around service returns, adding another layer to an already fiercely contested match. But the former world No. 1 pair responded in exactly the way they needed to.

The third game was almost a completely different story.

Satwik and Chirag came out with renewed intensity and quickly took control. Their attacking pressure increased, their defence held firm and the Popov brothers struggled to reproduce the level they had shown in the second game.

The Indians raced away to a 21-9 victory in the decider to seal their place in the last eight. One rally summed up the quality of the contest. Satwik produced a remarkable close-to-the-body save before Chirag finished the point with a stunning cross-court reflex block, leaving the French pair unable to believe how they had lost the exchange.

After 69 minutes of high-quality badminton, the fourth seeds had their quarterfinal ticket.

Waiting in the quarterfinals are familiar opponents in Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. The Danish pair present a significant challenge, particularly given their head-to-head advantage against the Indians. Satwik and Chirag currently trail 4-6 in their meetings against Astrup and Rasmussen.

That makes the quarterfinal another important test for India’s premier men’s doubles combination.

Satwik and Chirag also have a strong connection with the China Masters, having previously enjoyed success at the tournament and reached the final on two occasions. They will now be hoping to go one step further this time.

Srikanth adds to India’s big day

Satwik and Chirag were not the only Indians to produce a major result at the China Masters. Kidambi Srikanth also stormed into the quarterfinals after pulling off a major upset against World No. 9 Victor Lai.

The result gave India two representatives in the last eight and provided a major boost to the country’s campaign at the BWF Super 750 event.

However, it was not a perfect day for the Indian contingent. Tanvi Sharma's run came to an end in the women's singles Round of 16 after she faltered late against Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki. The Indian had fought hard through the contest but could not finish the match on the right side of the result.

The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were also knocked out in the Round of 16.

That leaves Satwik-Chirag and Srikanth carrying India’s hopes into the quarterfinal stage.

For Satwik and Chirag, the biggest takeaway from their Round of 16 victory will be the manner in which they responded after the second-game disappointment. Missing match points and then losing 24-22 could easily have changed the momentum of the contest.

Instead, the Indians produced a commanding decider.

The next challenge is Astrup and Rasmussen. With the head-to-head record against them, Satwik and Chirag will need another high-level performance if they are to continue their China Masters journey and move into the semifinals.