Kidambi Srikanth digs deep to enter the second final at Yonex-Sunrise India Open
Source: IT News

New Delhi, March 31 2019: Kidambi Srikanth remained on course for a second title by entering the final of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2019, a BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament, here on Saturday.

The 2015 champion was made to work hard by the 30th ranked Huang Yuxiang before he could pull off a gritty 16-21, 21-14, 21-19 win in 1 hour 4 minutes.

This is Srikanth's first final on the BWF circuit since the French Open in October of 2017 .

The former winner was troubled early on by Yuxiang's speed, quick change of direction and superior net play, despite having a 3-1 edge in their head-to-head record.

From 14-14, the Chinese went up to 19-14 due to unforced errors from the home hope.

Srikanth did save a couple of game points but his effort fell short as Yuxiang wrapped up the opener 21-16 .

Amid deafening cheers from the crowd, the World No.7 started showing flashes of his aggression in the early part of the second game and built a 7-4 lead.

By regularly finding the lines, the India No.1 held on to go up to 13-6 and kept up the same approach to close out the second game 21-14 .

Srikanth broke away from a deadlock in the third game to inch ahead to 11-10 but errors at the net proved costly as Yuxiang grabbed 3 points on the trot to go up to 13-11 .

The former World No.1 then found his firepower from a 14-17 deficit to draw level at 18-18 and then a beautiful touch at the net helped him finish the win.

"I gave too many easy points after that 11-point break in the third set.

In the end, I was just thinking I was playing safe and working hard for every point," said Srikanth after the victory.

"Even yesterday, I lost the first set.

I have not been able to pull out the first sets but really happy I was able to pull out third sets," added the top-ranked Indian.

Intanon back in the final after 3 years .

Thailand's former world champion Ratchanok Intanon survived a tough duel with the seventh seed Han Yue, eking out a 21-15, 19-21, 21-18 win in 1 hour 6 minutes.

For the highly popular Thai, this is her fourth final at this prestigious tournament after earlier wins in 2013 and 2016 .

Her only loss came in 2015 against Saina Nehwal.

Ratchanok Intanon one win away from the third title

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