Defending men's doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a stunning early exit from the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, on Friday, 25 September, losing to Thailand's Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun in the opening round. The defeat dealt a significant blow to India's badminton ambitions at the Games, though other pairs kept the campaign alive with encouraging results on the same day.

Satwik-Chirag's Shock First-Round Exit

India's premier doubles combination went down 21-12, 19-21, 14-21 against the Thai pair, squandering a commanding first-game advantage. Satwik and Chirag controlled proceedings early, winning the opener comfortably at 21-12, but Teeraratsakul and Sukphun grew in confidence to level the match by taking the second game 21-19. The Thai duo then dominated the decider, winning it 21-14 to eliminate the defending champions at the first hurdle — a result few had anticipated coming in.

Tanisha-Dhruv Fight Through to Quarterfinals

The mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila provided a welcome lift, advancing to the quarterfinals after a tightly contested second-round win over Malaysia's Shevon Jemie Lai and Soon Huat Goh. The Indian pair edged both games, winning 22-20 and 24-22, holding their nerve during each crucial passage of play. Tanisha and Dhruv will next face China's Yan Zhe Feng and Dongping Huang in the quarterfinals — a significantly tougher test awaits.

Treesa-Gayatri Progress in Women's Doubles

World championship medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the women's doubles event, defeating Hong Kong, China's Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan 21-16, 16-21, 21-16 in a three-game contest. The Indian duo claimed the opening game with authority, conceded the second to allow their opponents back in, then regained control in the decider to seal progression. Notably, Treesa and Gayatri are among India's most decorated recent doubles pairs and will be expected to go deep in the draw.

Hariharan-Arjun Exit; Unnati Hooda Advances

India's men's doubles second string, Hariharan Amsakarunan and R. Arjun Madathil, were eliminated after losing 14-21, 11-21 in straight games to Indonesia's experienced pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri. The Indian duo found no answer to the Indonesians' aggression throughout the match.

On a brighter note, women's singles player Unnati Hooda marched into the second round with a dominant 21-9, 21-10 win over North Korea's Mi Song Yu. Unnati controlled the contest from the first shuttle, never allowing her opponent to settle, and wrapped up the match in convincing fashion.

India's Badminton Campaign: Where Things Stand

Friday's results leave India's Asian Games 2026 badminton campaign finely balanced. The absence of Satwik and Chirag — widely expected to contend for gold — removes the most realistic men's doubles medal prospect. However, the progress of Tanisha-Dhruv into the quarterfinals and Treesa-Gayatri into the pre-quarterfinals ensures continued Indian representation across disciplines. The coming rounds will test whether India's remaining shuttlers can convert their advancement into podium finishes.