What an incredible year it has been for Kidambi Srikanth. Yet another clinical performance, this time at the French Open Super Series, has led the Guntur lad straight to the summit of the leaderboard – and only behind world champion Viktor Axelsen. The coveted top spot is now up for grabs and the tables could turn before the year-end.
Srikanth took no more than 35 minutes to register a convincing 21-14, 21-13 win over Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto and clinch the French Open Super Series title on Sunday. Trailing 5-9 in the opening game, Srikanth recovered swiftly to find his groove en route a comfortable win. Nishimoto, however, had an incredible run in the tournament. After making it through the qualifiers, he took out former world no.1 Lee Chong Wei in the first round, and then beat Antonsen, who had tamed two-time world champion Chen Long in the round of 16. But the pressure of a being in a major final conflated with Srikanth’s quicksilver reflexes and overhead smashes proved all too much for the Japanese player to comprehend.
© AFP
By winning the French Open (his sixth Super Series title so far), Srikanth has already assured himself a place in the elite eight who will compete at the year-end championships. The Indian doesn’t necessarily need to play another tournament until then. And yet he can choose to – if he recovers from his knee-niggle.
With the China Open, Hong Kong Open and the cash-rich Dubai grand finals around the corner, Srikanth has a strong shot at the prestigious No.1 spot.
And if you’ve read our previous feature Kidambi Srikanth defines his turning point in Denmark Super Series, this connection is almost uncanny – Earlier in 1980, Prakash Padukone achieved the World No.1 ranking after winning three major titles. Come year-end, Srikanth will stand a chance to rewrite history.
And if he doesn’t, we will be rooting for him again next year!
– Varun Kumar | SpreadSports
