Indian Shuttlers Advance at BWF World Championships: Satwik-Chirag Get Walkover, Tanisha-Dhruv Progress
New Delhi, India – India’s hopes at the BWF World Championships received a significant boost on Wednesday as the formidable men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the pre-quarterfinals without lifting a racket. Their progression came courtesy of a walkover from their Scottish opponents, highlighting an unexpected turn of events in the prestigious tournament.
The fifth-seeded Indian duo, who are no strangers to success on the world stage with two bronze medals already under their belt at previous World Championships, had initially received a first-round bye. They were slated to face Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle in their second-round encounter. However, a last-minute withdrawal by Dunn and Pringle automatically propelled Satwik and Chirag into the round of 16, granting them valuable rest and preparation time for the demanding stages ahead.
In the mixed doubles category, the promising Indian pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila delivered a dominant performance to secure their spot in the pre-quarterfinals. They comfortably defeated Macau’s Leong Iok Chong and Ng Weng Chi in a straight-sets victory, with a score of 21-11, 21-11, in their round-of-32 match. This win marks a crucial step for Crasto and Kapila, who are now the sole Indian representatives remaining in the mixed doubles event.
Their advancement comes amidst mixed fortunes for other Indian mixed doubles pairs. Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde faced a tough challenge, ultimately succumbing to Canada’s Jonathan Bing Tsan Lai and Crystal Lai in a hard-fought match that ended 22-20, 19-21, 17-21. Similarly, Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh were narrowly edged out of the tournament after a thrilling contest against Turkey’s Emre Sonmez and Yasemen Bektas, losing 21-16, 29-30, 22-24.
Crasto and Kapila are competing in their second BWF World Championships, aiming to surpass their previous best performance where they reached the quarterfinals in the 2025 edition held in Paris. Their next formidable opponents will be the sixth-seeded Chinese pair of Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui in the third round, a match that promises to be a true test of their skill and strategy.
Further Indian interest in the tournament on Wednesday includes appearances from two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who will be a strong contender in the women’s singles, alongside promising young talents Ayush Shetty and Lakshya Sen in their respective categories. The Indian contingent continues to fight for glory, with hopes high for more strong performances as the BWF World Championships progress.
