Kidambi Srikanth defeated Yudai Okimoto in a gripping semifinal clash at the US Open, securing his first BWF World Tour final appearance in seven months.
Srikanth displayed resilience and composure as he overcame the higher-ranked Japanese shuttler 22-20, 15-21, 21-19 in one hour and 12 minutes. The victory marks his strongest performance of the season, reigniting hopes of a long-awaited title. Srikanth last lifted a trophy at the 2017 French Open, and he now eyes redemption against Su Li Yang in the final.
The former world No. 1 has struggled with rankings due to the rise of younger Indian talent, but his determination shone through in this contest. Earlier, he dispatched Liao Jhuo-Fu of Chinese Taipei 21-9, 12-21, 21-8, raising expectations of an all-India final. However, Rounak Chouhan, who stunned top seed Chou Tien Chen earlier, fell to eighth seed Su Li Yang.
In women’s singles, Devika Sihag fought hard against the second seed, Line Christophersen. She claimed the opening game 21-15 but faltered in the next two, losing 11-21, 15-21. Despite her exit, Devika’s spirited run adds promise for India’s future.
Srikanth’s resurgence comes at a crucial time for Indian badminton. With the Asian Games approaching, his form offers a significant boost to the men’s squad, which secured silver at the Hangzhou edition. His journey to the US Open final underscores his hunger to reclaim glory and break a nine-year title drought.
