Kidambi Srikanth didn't just win his match on Saturday (early Sunday in India) but also won the hearts of fans present at the Titan Gym in California.
In a high-stakes battle, Srikanth -- apart from his intricate play -- stood out for displaying sportsmanship during his gruelling men's singles semifinal encounter against Yudai Okimoto of Japan in the ongoing US Open.
During a net exchange in the deciding game, Srikanth appeared to have made a stunning return in real time. The replays, however, suggested that the shuttle had landed just outside the permissible zone. The line judge, though, didn't rule it out. Okimoto, who had clawed his way back from 5-10 down to 8-10 until that point, seemed bemused when the point was handed to his opponent. He clearly had momentum on his side. He pleaded his case with the chair umpire and requested for a review but was turned down.
Clearly unsatisfied, he called for the tournament referee but that didn't seem to be working either. That's when Srikanth intervened and gave his inputs before the umpire changed the decision.
That gesture brought about huge cheers from the spectators as Okimoto was handed the point.
Following that disruption, Srikanth once again extended his lead but Okimoto continued to probe and test the Indian.
Later, Srikanth upped his game to take a five-point lead (18-13). Okimoto was guilty of making unforced errors but he refused to give up as went level in no time (18-18). This time it was Srikanth who erred. It was anybody's match after that.
However, Srikanth, the former World No 1, regained his composure to get over the line.
After 72 minutes of intense battle, Srikanth won 22-20, 15-21, 21-19 to reach his first final since November last year.
He'll face Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang, who beat Rounak Chouhan 21-17, 21-19 in the other semifinal.
It has been a while since Srikanth won an individual crown and he'll be hoping to end that trend come Sunday (IST Monday morning).
