Fullerton [US], June 28 (ANI): Former world primary Kidambi Srikanth reached his first last of the yr with a hard-fought win over Japan’s Yudai Okimoto within the males’s semifinals of the US Open Badminton event right here.
The 33-year-old received the higher of fourth seed Okimoto 22-20, 15-21, 21-19 in an hour and 12 minutes within the match on Saturday to arrange a summit conflict in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s eighth seed Su Li Yang.
Su ended the dream run of India’s Rounak Chouhan with a 21-17, 21-19 win within the different semifinals.
In the ladies’s singles semifinal, Devika Sihag couldn’t maintain the momentum after successful the opening sport in opposition to second seed Line Christophersen of Denmark, happening 15-21, 21-11, 21-15.
But the day belonged to Srikanth, who saved his nerves within the opening sport after Okimoto had fought again from an 11-17 deficit to earn a sport level.
Srikanth saved the purpose and gained the following two to seize the benefit. The Japanese shuttler, nevertheless, compelled a decider with a robust exhibiting within the second sport.
The last sport adopted an identical script to the primary as Srikanth opened up a 10-5 lead, just for Okimoto to attract stage at 12-12.
Srikanth then grabbed six straight factors, 12-13, earlier than conceding 5 himself to make it 18-18. The Indian then relied on his expertise to combine up the tempo and wrap up the match. (ANI)