Indian shuttler Srikanth Kidambi has stormed into the quarterfinals of the Canada Open Super 300, showcasing remarkable resilience with stunning comebacks in both games against Chinese Taipei’s Wang Po-wei.
Kidambi’s Impressive Recovery
The match saw Srikanth Kidambi facing significant deficits from the start. In the first game, he found himself trailing 5-11 at the mid-game interval, a challenging position for any player.
During this crucial break, an unexpected coach stepped in: his younger Indian teammate, Priyanshu Rajawat. Rajawat, who had played against Srikanth the previous day, offered concise and impactful advice, which Srikanth absorbed intently.
Whatever was said, it clearly worked. Srikanth began to chip away at the lead, eventually unleashing a powerful six-point streak from 13-18 down to seize the advantage. He closed out the first game 21-19, demonstrating incredible mental fortitude.
Dominating the Second Game
The second game mirrored the first in its slow start for Srikanth, who quickly fell behind 1-6. However, he once again rallied, this time with an impressive seven-point run to take the lead.
Wang Po-wei attempted his own comeback, narrowing the gap after the mid-game interval. But Srikanth extinguished those hopes with his most dominant stretch of the match, winning nine consecutive points.
This decisive run secured the second game 21-14, wrapping up the 41-minute contest and confirming his spot in the quarterfinals.
A Blend of Grit and Growth
Srikanth’s victory was a testament to his fighting spirit, characterized by his ability to dig deep in defensive rallies and win points even when not dictating exchanges. It highlighted his grit, although it also revealed a tendency for frustrating errors early in games.
Reducing these unforced errors will be crucial as he advances, especially with a potential matchup against top seed Chou Tien Chen. The Chinese Taipei veteran is known for his relentless work ethic and consistency, holding a 9-3 head-to-head advantage over Srikanth.
Looking Ahead
This marks Srikanth Kidambi’s third quarterfinal appearance of the year and his second in the last three tournaments, signaling a positive turnaround in form since the Malaysia Masters. His journey in the Canada Open continues to be an exciting one.
Later in the day, other Indian shuttlers, Shriyanshi Valishetty and Sankar Subrmanian, were also scheduled to be in action in their respective singles Round of 16 matches.
- Srikanth Kidambi overcame deficits in both games, trailing 5-11 in the first and 1-6 in the second.
- He received coaching input from younger teammate Priyanshu Rajawat during a crucial break.
- This is Srikanth’s third quarterfinal of 2024 and second in his last three tournaments.
- He won the match 21-19, 21-14 in 41 minutes.
Srikanth’s resilience at the Canada Open sets the stage for a compelling quarterfinal clash as he aims to continue his strong run.
