US Open 2026: Kidambi Srikanth finishes runners up, loses to Su Li in final
Fullerton, June 29
Former world number one Kidambi Srikanth's wait for a BWF World Tour title was extended further after he went down against Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang in the men's summit clash of the US Open Badminton tournament here on Sunday.
The 33-year-old, facing an opponent who is nine years younger than him, pushed himself to find that winning momentum but could not avoid a 21-15, 16-21, 21-9 loss in an hour and nine minutes, according to a release.
It was Su who got off the blocks fast in the opening game as he took a 10-5 lead. Srikanth levelled the scores at 10-10 before the Taipei shuttler won seven consecutive points to run away with the game.
Srikanth kept pace with Su in the second game for the first half and then changed the tempo to move from 15-13 to 20-13 before converting his fourth game point. However, the effort did take a toll on Srikanth's tired legs.
Though he stayed neck-and-neck with Su till 9-7, the 24-year-old then took eight straight points to seal the match.
En route to the final, Srikanth produced the tournament's ultimate act of sportsmanship during a tense semifinal moment; when officials refused to correct a wrong call despite heavy protests, he walked up to the referee to concede, handing the point back to Japan's Okimoto.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The age gap really showed in the third game. Su Li was just too fresh and fast. But Srikanth's comeback in the second game was vintage stuff. He needs to work on his stamina if he wants to win titles again. Respect for the effort though! 🙏
Tough loss. It's frustrating to see Indian shuttlers struggle to close out matches against younger opponents. Srikanth had the momentum in game 2 but just couldn't sustain it. The semifinal gesture was noble, but maybe it cost him some energy for the final?
I was watching live, and that 8-point streak in the decider was brutal. But let's not forget—Srikanth beat some top players to reach the final. At his age, this is still a great run. We need to support our players instead of only criticizing. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
It's a shame Srikanth couldn't convert after that gutsy second game. His defensive game looked solid, but Su's attack was relentless. The sportsmanship story is heartwarming though—rare to see that in professional sports these days. Hopefully he bounces back!
First the semis sportsmanship, then a runners-up finish—Srikanth is an inspiration on and off the court. But honestly, BWF needs to look at the scheduling. Playing semis and finals back-to-back at his age is tough. Our boy gave it his all! 💪
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