Kidambi Srikanth’s pursuit of a BWF World Tour title continues after his defeat to Su Li Yang in the semifinals of the US Open Badminton tournament in Fullerton, California.
FULLERTON, CA – Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth’s quest for a BWF World Tour title remains unfulfilled following his loss to Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang in the men’s semifinals of the US Open Badminton tournament on June 29.
The 33-year-old Indian shuttler faced a challenging match against his younger opponent, who is nine years his junior. Despite his efforts to regain winning momentum, Srikanth succumbed to a 21-15, 16-21, 21-9 defeat after an hour and nine minutes of intense play.
Reflecting on the match, Srikanth acknowledged the need to keep pushing himself. “I just feel like whatever I’ve been doing is working. I just have to keep working hard. I feel I’m there, but it’s about winning those crucial points,” he said. He noted that Su Li Yang has been performing exceptionally well in recent months, particularly during the critical moments of their match.
This semifinal marked the third encounter between Srikanth and Su Li Yang, with each player having won one match in their previous meetings. Their most recent clash prior to the US Open occurred in May during the round of 16 at the Thailand Open, where Su Li Yang emerged victorious in a three-game battle.
In the opening game of the semifinal, Su Li Yang quickly established a 10-5 lead. Although Srikanth managed to level the score at 10-10, Su then surged ahead, winning seven consecutive points to take the game.
The second game saw Srikanth matching Su’s pace early on. However, he shifted the tempo dramatically, moving from a 15-13 lead to a commanding 20-13 advantage before converting his fourth game point to level the match.
Unfortunately for Srikanth, fatigue began to set in during the final game. He remained competitive early on, staying close at 9-7, but Su Li Yang then dominated, scoring eight straight points to clinch the match.
Throughout the tournament, Srikanth demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship. In a tense semifinal moment, when officials refused to overturn a disputed call despite significant protests, he approached the referee and conceded the point back to Japan’s Okimoto.
Despite the loss, Srikanth’s determination and competitive spirit were evident, and he remains focused on his future endeavors in the sport.
According to IANS, Srikanth has not secured a BWF Tour title since his victory at the 2017 French Open.