The ace Indian shuttler went down 21-18, 21-18 against Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen.
Kidambi Srikanth suffered a second successive defeat at the season-ending BWF Dubai Super Series Finals on Thursday. The ace Indian shuttler went down 21-18, 21-18 against Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen.
Having lost his opening round match against World No.1 Viktor Axelsen on Wednesday, Srikanth has no chance of making it to the semi-finals.
World No 7 Taiwan took 43 minutes to stun the fourth ranked Indian in a Group B men's singles match. Srikanth will face All England Open finalist Shi Yuqi of China on Friday in his last and final match of Group B.
Shi Yuqi, who had defeated Chou in his opening match yesterday, eked out a 13-21 21-18 21-17 win over World No.1 and defending champion Viktor Axelsen on Thursday to top Group B. The in-form Shi Yuqi will be hoping to beat Srikanth also on Friday, but even if the Indian manage to get the better of the World No. 8 Chinese in straight games, it would not be possible for him to make the cut.
Whoever between Axelsen and Chou wins on Friday, will advance to the knockouts as the second player from Group B after Shi Yuqi.
Srikanth on Thursday failed to bring out his top game again as he lagged behind from the very beginning. Having conceded a 0-5 lead in the opener, Srikanth was always playing the catch up game and eventually lost the first game 18-21.
Although he put up a better performance in the second game, Srikanth could not sustain the momentum till the end. Despite leading 17-14 at one stage, Srikanth let his Taiwanese opponent gain three straight points to catch him at 17-17. At 18-18, the Taiwan player reeled off three crucial points to wrap up the match in style.
This is a comeback tournament for Srikanth, who sustained an injury earlier this month, which forced him to withdraw from the China Open and Hong Kong Super Series.
Srikanth had won four Super Series titles in a calendar year with the Indonesia Open, Australia Open, Denmark Open and the French Open titles to become the only Indian, and fourth player ever, to do so.
In the women's single event, Rio Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu defeated China's He Bingjiao 21-11, 16-21, 21-18 in her opening round match on Wednesday.
(Inputs from PTI)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kidambi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}