Defending Champion Kidambi Srikanth loses in first round of Indonesia Open 2018.
India suffered a huge upset in badminton on Wednesday with the elimination of defending champion Kidambi Srikanth from the first round of the Indonesian Open.
World No. 7 Srikanth won the first game before Japan's Kento Momota defeated him 21-12, 14-21, 15-21. It was Srikanth’s second loss to the same opponent in less than two weeks; Momota knocked out Srikanth from the semi-final of Malaysia Open 2018.
Both the players used up all their energy and the match on Wednesday finished exactly in an hour. While the Indian came into the tournament all fresh, having got enough rest between Malaysia and Indonesia, Momota looked drained after his Malaysian Open final loss to Lee Chong Wei last Sunday, which went on for an hour and 11 minutes.
Targeting Momota’s tiredness, Srikanth had a flying start. While Momota had tapes on both his legs, Srikanth executed excellent cross and net play and took a lead of 11-7 in the first game before he sealed it 21-12.
Into the second game, the Japanese had an upper hand as he clinched a 3-0 lead but Srikanth fought back to make it 4-4. However, in the second game, Srikanth made several net errors as well as mistimed many shuttlers too.
Overall, it was Srikanth's seventh loss to Momota, who has been in impressive form since coming back from a one-year ban due to illegal gambling.
In the women’s singles Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu brought some smiles back in the Indian camp after seeing off Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-15 19-21 21-13, setting up a clash with Japan's Aya Ohori on the eve of her 23rd birthday tomorrow.
In the women's singles match, Sindhu was asked some serious questions by the 20-year-old Pornpawee, as she grabbed a slender 11-10 lead at the first interval.
The Indian seemed to struggle with her timing initially but two cross court smash and a misjudgement at backline by her opponent helped Sindhu to lead 14-13.
Sindhu showed great defence and seemed to have stepped up her pace as she soon moved to 19-14 and brought up five game point chances after attacking her opponent's back hand. A disguised shot ended the opening game in Sindhu's favour.
Sindhu seemed to struggle with the length of her strokes as she hit long and short to allow Pornpawee control the second game early on. The Thai girl moved to a 7-2 lead but Sindhu recovered well to first claw back at 10-10 with six straight points and then entered the interval with a one-point advantage when the Thai hit the net.
Pornpawee turned the table by making it 15-13 before moving to 19-16 when Sindhu found the net. But the Thai blew the advantage as the Indian gained three straight points, including a good-looking smash, to claw back at 19-1
A superb rally ensued next, which left Sindhu sprawled on the court as it was game point advantage for Pornpawee. The Indian then hit the net and the Thai shuttler was back in the contest.
The duo split the initial 10 points in the decider before Sindhu managed to open up a 8-5 lead. The Indian held a four-point advantage after he unleashed a straight smash to enter the breather.
Sindhu continued to use her experience to outwit the Thai shuttler and won a net duel to make it 18-11. Two wide shots and it was the eight match points for Sindhu. Pornpawee saved one before Sindhu unleashed another smash to seal the contest.
Earlier, young Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka went down 12-21 10-21 to Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt.
The men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy stretched the world no 2 Chinese pair of Liu Cheng and Zhang Nan to three games before surrendering 21-15 15-21 17-21 to the third seeded combo.
In mixed doubles, Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy lost 12-21 14-21 to fourth seeded pair of Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China.
(With PTI inputs)
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