Kidambi Srikanth Finishes Runner Up at US Open After Thrilling Three Game Final

India’s experienced shuttler Kidambi Srikanth came agonisingly close to a title but had to settle for the runner up position at the US Open Super 300 , after a hard fought three game defeat in the men’s singles final.

In a gripping contest lasting just over an hour in Fullerton, USA, Srikanth went down 15-21, 21-16, 9-21 to Chinese Taipei’s Su Li yang , who claimed the biggest title of his career.

The former world No. 1 showed flashes of his vintage brilliance throughout the match. After dropping the opening game, Srikanth responded strongly in the second, using sharp net play and powerful smashes to force a decider and keep India’s hopes alive.

The opening game saw early fluctuations as Srikanth briefly found rhythm after recovering from unforced errors to draw level at 10-10 . However, Su Li yang’s pace and attacking intensity proved decisive as he pulled away to take the lead.

In the second game, Srikanth looked more composed and aggressive. He built a solid lead through tight net control and well timed cross court winners, holding his nerve even as Su attempted to close the gap with heavy smashes. The Indian eventually closed out the game to level the match.

The decider, however, belonged to Su Li yang from the start. The world No. 46 came out firing, dictating rallies with relentless speed and precision. Srikanth struggled to maintain consistency, mixing moments of brilliance with costly errors as the Taiwanese shuttler surged ahead.

At the mid game interval , Su had already established a commanding lead and never allowed Srikanth back into contention. Despite a few strong rallies, the Indian could not shift the momentum as Su closed out the match comfortably to seal the title.

The defeat marks another close finish for Srikanth, who has been working his way back into consistent form on the BWF circuit .