Former top-ranked player Kidambi Srikanth secured a spot in his first final of the year at the US Open Badminton tournament by defeating Japan’s Yudai Okimoto in a tough men’s semifinal match. Srikanth, aged 33, triumphed over the fourth seed Okimoto with a score of 22-20, 15-21, 21-19 after a challenging battle lasting an hour and 12 minutes.
In a nail-biting encounter, Srikanth displayed composure in the first game, overcoming Okimoto’s comeback from an 11-17 deficit to secure a crucial win. Despite a strong performance by the Japanese shuttler in the second game, Srikanth managed to force a decider and eventually clinched the victory by strategically varying his pace.
On the other hand, Indian teenage qualifier Rounak Chouhan’s impressive journey ended in the semifinals as he was defeated by Chinese Taipei’s eighth seed Su Li Yang, who will face Srikanth in the final showdown. Chouhan’s remarkable run included victories over higher-ranked opponents before succumbing to Su in a hard-fought match.
In the women’s singles category, Thailand Masters champion Devika Sihag faced a tough loss after initially winning the opening game against Denmark’s second seed Line Christophersen. Despite a strong start, Sihag couldn’t maintain her momentum, eventually losing the match 15-21, 21-11, 21-15 to Christophersen, who secured a spot in her first final since the Macau Open last August.
