India’s Kidambi Srikanth finished runner-up at the US Open Super 300 badminton tournament after falling to Chinese Taipei’s Su Li-yang in a hard-fought men’s singles final on Sunday.
The experienced Indian shuttler battled back after losing the opening game to force a decider but was unable to overcome the relentless pace of his younger opponent, eventually going down 15-21, 21-16, 9-21 in a contest lasting just over an hour.
The result marked Srikanth’s first final appearance of the season and another runner-up finish after placing second at the Malaysia Masters Super 500 and the Syed Modi International Super 300 last year.
The 33-year-old, who won silver at the 2021 World Championships, started brightly before a rare racquet infringement during a rally disrupted his momentum. A series of unforced errors allowed Su to build an early advantage, but Srikanth responded impressively, winning eight of the next 11 points to level the score at 10-10. Despite briefly taking the lead, he struggled to contain Su’s increased tempo and deceptive shot-making after the mid-game interval, as the Chinese Taipei player claimed the opening game in just 17 minutes.
Srikanth produced an excellent response in the second game. The former world No. 1 edged ahead with a combination of powerful smashes, sharp net play and intelligent placement to establish control. Although Su repeatedly threatened to close the gap, Srikanth held his nerve, earning seven game points before sealing the game with a powerful down-the-line smash to force a deciding third game.
The final game, however, belonged to Su. The world No. 46 came out aggressively, applying constant pressure with attacking strokes and rapid rallies to establish an early lead. While Srikanth produced flashes of quality, costly errors prevented him from mounting a comeback.
Adding to the drama, Srikanth was denied permission by the chair umpire to change his shirt during the deciding game, a decision that visibly frustrated the Indian. Su, however, remained composed and continued dictating play, extending his advantage before earning 12 championship points.
Srikanth managed to save one match point, but Su soon closed out the contest to secure the first BWF World Tour title of his career.
Despite missing out on the title, Srikanth’s run to the final marks an encouraging performance as the former world No. 1 continues his bid to return to the top level of international badminton.
