Badminton: Srikanth ends runner-up at US Open
India’s Kidambi Srikanth ended his impressive run with a runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament after going down fighting in three games to Chinese Taipei’s Su Li-yang in the men’s singles final. The 33-year-old Srikanth, a silver-medallist at the 2021 World Championships, recovered from the loss of the opening game to force a decider but couldn’t match the pace and intensity of world number 46 Su, who is nine years his junior.
Srikanth, who had claimed six Super Series titles between 2014 and 2017, eventually lost 15-21, 21-16, 9-21 in a physical battle that lasted just over an hour here on Sunday.
“I could have played a little better maybe in the opening set. Otherwise, I feel I’ve played okay. The second half of third set it was just hitting really well all of a sudden,” said the man from Guntur after the match.
A Rio Olympics quarterfinalist, Srikanth also ended second at the Malaysia Masters Super 500 and Syed Modi International Super 300 last year.
“I just feel like whatever I’ve been doing is working. I just have to keep working hard. I feel like I’m there. It’s just about being able to win those crucial points,” added Srikanth, who had become the first Indian to secure four Super Series titles in a single calendar year in 2017.
Playing his first final of the season, the former world number 1 was the quicker off the blocks but a rare error, where his racquet crossed the net during a rally, appeared to disrupt his rhythm as a string of unforced mistakes allowed Su to open up a 7-2 lead. Srikanth, however, regrouped to win eight of the next 11 points and draw level at 10-10 after a series of fast-paced rallies. His powerful smashes proved crucial, helping him edge ahead by a point at the mid-game interval after Su smashed wide.
However, Su wrested back control after the break, quickening the pace of the rallies and using subtle deception to force errors from Srikanth. He soon extended his lead to 17-12.
A cross-court smash followed by a delicate net shot helped Srikanth reduce the deficit to 14-18, but another error handed the initiative back to Su. Su earned six game points with a thunderous smash. The Indian saved one before sending the shuttle long as Su wrapped up the opening game in 17 minutes.
After the change of ends, the contest remained evenly poised with neither player giving an inch. From 4-4, Srikanth reeled off three straight points to move 7-4 ahead, capping one extended rally with a superb cross-court block at the net. Another breathtaking rally followed, with Su making the Indian cover every corner of the court before restoring parity at 8-8.A deft backhand cross-court net shot took Srikanth to 10-8, and he entered the interval with a three-point cushion after Su smashed wide.
Su responded with two thunderous smashes after the break, but Srikanth’s excellent net play helped him maintain a 14-10 advantage.
The Chinese Taipei player broke the rhythm with a flat push into the corner to close the gap to 13-15 as Srikanth sprayed two shots wide.
Su then sent one long before Srikanth’s cross-court return made it 18-13. The Indian won the next flat exchange and earned seven game points when Su again went wide. Although Su saved three game points, Srikanth forced the decider with a powerful down-the-line smash.
Su came out firing in the deciding game, opening with a lightning smash before putting Srikanth under sustained pressure to race to a 4-1 lead.
Maintaining his aggression and injecting greater pace into the rallies, Su surged to 7-4 before another rocket smash made it 9-5. Srikanth alternated between moments of brilliance and costly errors, often undoing his good work with loose shots.
