WONG LING CHIN VS. CHEN YU FEI | MALAYSIANVS. CHINA | QUARTER FINAL | THOMAS UBER CUP 2026

 

SATWIK-CHIRAG STORM INTO SECOND SUCCESSFUL FINAL AFTER BEATING MALAYSIA'S AARON-SOH IN CHINA OPEN

Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty outclassed long-time nemesis Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-17 21-14 in a dominating performance to advance to the China Open men’s doubles final.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty celebrate after defeating Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the semi-finals of the China Open men's doubles category. Image credit: Badminton Photo

Star Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into their second successive men’s doubles final with a clinical straight-game win over former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament in China’s Shenzhen on Saturday.

Fresh from a World Championships bronze and a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open last week, the Asian Games champions outclassed their long-time nemesis Aaron and Soh 21-17 21-14 in a dominating performance.

Satwik and Chirag came into the match with a 4-11 head-to-head record against the Malaysian duo, who are two-time Olympic medallists. However, the Indians had recently got the better of Aaron and Soh en route to their bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris.

On Saturday, the Indians came out with an all-out attacking approach, backed by a solid defence, while also dominating the front court as the Malaysians — particularly Aaron — looked out of sorts during the 41-minute semifinal clash.

The opening game was a tight affair with both pairs fighting tooth and nail. Aaron and Soh grabbed a 10-7 lead with four straight points. But three errors from Aaron — including a service fault — allowed Satwik and Chirag to claw back. The Malaysians still held a slender one-point advantage at the interval.

At 14-13, Aaron faltered again at the net, handing the initiative back to the Indians. A flurry of smashes from Satwik and errors from their rivals took the Indians to 18-14. A sharp return from Satwik gave them four game points and they sealed the opener on the second opportunity.

In the second game, Satwik and Chirag raced to a 5-2 lead after the change of ends, with Satwik’s smashes and Chirag’s deft front-court play helping them stretch it to 8-2. Though the Malaysians narrowed the gap to 6-8, the Indians went into the interval with 11-6 cushion.

Aaron and Soh reduced it to 9-11, but the Indians responded with another surge to make it 15-9. At 16-12, Satwik produced a thunderous smash followed by a lucky net cord, and the Malaysians’ errors mounted.

Chirag applied the finishing touches with a deep return and a decisive smash to close out the contest.

- Press Trust Of India

HOCKEY, DIVING AND CRICKET AMONG SPORTS REMOVED AXED FOR 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Hockey, rugby sevens and diving are among the big-name Commonwealth Games casualties, axed from the pared-back Glasgow program in 2026.

The Games, relocated to Scotland after Victoria's withdrawal as host, will feature just 10 events, which is nine less than the previous edition held in 2022 in Birmingham.

Other sports to be left out include cricket, badminton, beach volleyball, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, squash and table tennis.

Athletics and swimming were the only sports guaranteed a spot on the program, which also includes track cycling, weightlifting, 3x3 basketball and lawns bowls -- all of which include a para equivalent.

Netball, artistic gymnastics, judo and boxing round out the chosen 10.

Multiple sports including Hockey have been dropped from the Commonwealth games. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

As a cost-saving measure, the 10 sports will be spread across just four venues -- Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena and the Scottish Event Campus.

Athletes and support staff will stay in hotel accommodation rather than an athletes village.

The 2026 program will be officially released later on Wednesday.

The multi-sport event had been endangered since the government of Victoria pulled out as host last year, citing spiralling costs, which, it claimed, had blown the budget out to $6 billion.

Victoria paid $380 million in compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), of which $200 million will be directed to Scotland to cover its hosting costs.

That figure will be topped up by $4.5 million from Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) to cover security, with neither the UK nor Scottish governments prepared to use public money -- though the former is said to be prepared to underwrite any additional security costs.

"This is a fantastic outcome for the Commonwealth sport movement," CGA president Ben Houston said last month.

"The Commonwealth Games are at the heart of Australia's performance pathway, often providing the launch pad for continued and ongoing success by Australian athletes.

"They are irreplaceable in terms of providing global competition and, in the absence of an Australian host, it was in the interests of Australian sport that we make an overseas Games a reality."

- AAP

MALAYSIA ENDS CHINA'S PARIS BADMINTON WINNING STREAK

Malaysia's Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei handed China its first badminton defeat at the Paris Games after beating gold medal favourites Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 17-21, 21-15, 21-16. ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images

 China suffered its first badminton defeat of the Paris Olympics on Monday, when mixed doubles favourites Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping were upset by Malaysian duo Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei in the opening session of group play.

The country has long dominated Olympic badminton, winning 47 medals, or more than double the combined tally of Indonesia and South Korea, the second- and third-most successful teams. In 17 group stage matches in three days in Paris so far, it has now been defeated once, while in Tokyo, China lasted four days before losing a match.

Chen and Toh won 17-21 21-15 21-16 against Huang and Feng.

"I am happy we overcame them and gave them a good fight," Toh said. "They played a very good game and they really pushed us to the maximum."

Huang, the reigning mixed doubles Olympic champion who played in Tokyo with former partner Wang Yilyu, said she wasn't too upset because they are still at the group stage.

China's second mixed doubles team in the tournament avenged their compatriots shortly after, making quick work of Korea's Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun to win 21-13 21-14.

The day should have started with India's men's doubles darlings Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, ranked world number three, playing Germany's Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel, but the match was canceled after Lamsfuss withdrew from the Games due to a knee injury.

- Reuters 

KUMAMOTO MASTERS | DAY 1 | COURT 3 | JAPAN

KUMAMOTO MASTERS | DAY 1 | JAPAN

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