All posts tagged: Malaysia Masters

Despite final defeat, Srikanth Kidambi rediscovers the high of playing on Sundays on his pursuit of happiness

Despite final defeat, Srikanth Kidambi rediscovers the high of playing on Sundays on his pursuit of happiness

Published by Webster

If his fans have missed the reflected glory that came with Kidambi Srikanth sauntering to top-tier badminton titles in style, you can imagine how much he yearned for those big Sundays. The loss handed out to him at Malaysia Masters on Sunday was brutal – the shortest final of the five contested at 36 minutes – with Chinese heir apparent Li Shifeng winning 21-11, 21-9. Srikanth was overpowered in his first individual final since the 2021 World Championships. But there was an overwhelming vibe of glee that one of badminton’s most elegant strokemakers was back on the big stage. Prone to being understated, Srikanth did offer a peek into this longing for the glory days. Now, anyone who knows the former World No 1 (back in 2018), would tell you his longing for sporting success is like Mr Darcy pining after Elizabeth Bennet: in vain and utter unbristling silence, he has struggled since his last Tour final in 2019. On Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Srikanth let on a little. “It’s been a while. There was …

Malaysia Masters: Kidambi Srikanth loses to Li Shi Feng in final

Malaysia Masters: Kidambi Srikanth loses to Li Shi Feng in final

Published by Webster

The finals day of the BWF World Tour Super 500 Tournament, the Malaysia Masters, began at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia, on Sunday. Indian maestro Kidambi Srikanth was the only Indian in the final. He took on second-seeded Li Shi Feng of China in the men’s singles title clash at 11:15 AM IST. The former world no.1 Kidambi was eyeing his first-ever title on the BWF World Tour, which could have been the first title for any Indian shuttler in 2025. As it happened: Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Malaysia Masters: Why Srikanth Kidambi’s stellar run to the final can be a beacon of hope for Indian badminton | Badminton News

Malaysia Masters: Why Srikanth Kidambi’s stellar run to the final can be a beacon of hope for Indian badminton | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Srikanth Kidambi is not a man of many words. Unlike his game on the court – full of creativity, elegance, often filled with frustration, but at other times capable of playing jaw-dropping shots – he’s measured and guarded off it. So when the interviewer asked him on Saturday, after his 21-18 24-22 win at the Malaysia Masters semifinal against Yushi Tanaka, how long has it been since he reached a final on tour, he just smiled. “I don’t know, I have lost track of it.” Indeed, it’s been 1,252 days. For the record – not including team events where he has had more recent success – this is Srikanth’s first final internationally since December 2021 at the World Championships, where he created history by winning silver. And on the BWF World Tour, this is the first final since March 2019 at the India Open. “Pretty happy. It’s been a while,” he added, matter-of-factly. As he saw a crosscourt half-smash from Tanaka, seven years junior to him but currently 42 places higher on the world rankings, …

Fitter, philosophical, still hungry Kidambi Srikanth enters quarterfinal in Malaysia Masters | Badminton News

Fitter, philosophical, still hungry Kidambi Srikanth enters quarterfinal in Malaysia Masters | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Call it the natural aura of a former World No 1. Or just the way Kidambi Srikanth’s brain is wired at exalted levels, to enjoy badminton, without letting losses lacerate his spirit. But while repeated defeats over the last few years have injected humility into his training, they have not humbled his regal court-bearing. Last week at Thailand, Srikanth lost in the qualifying round against young compatriot Tharun Mannepalli on Day 1. In Malaysia this week by Day 3, he has already won 4 matches after coming through the qualifying draw, and is now surprisingly India’s sole singles quarterfinalist. When he wins you can’t pinpoint why he loses so much, and the way he loses, you can’t figure how he ever managed to win. Coach Pullela Gopichand has admitted Srikanth’s losses and unforced errors drive him “crazy”. Through it all, coach Guru Saidutt informs, Srikanth himself is rarely frazzled. “He’s gifted in never slumping in belief, and bounces back from the worst losses, faster than anyone I know. It’s this aura he carries,” Guru concludes. …

How HS Prannoy and Srikanth Kidambi pulled off impressive wins at Malaysia Masters

How HS Prannoy and Srikanth Kidambi pulled off impressive wins at Malaysia Masters

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Three years back in the middle of May, Srikanth Kidambi and HS Prannoy found themselves at the center of one of Indian badminton’s greatest triumphs. The two veterans took shared leadership, galvanised an otherwise young squad, and led India to the Thomas Cup title, which feels surreal till date. The recent few weeks, however, haven’t been easy going. Prannoy has struggled with a myriad physical issues since achieving his dream of representing India at the Olympics, while Srikanth’s ranking has kept plummeting, and he finds himself battling through qualification rounds to earn a ticket in the main draws of World Tour events or depending on withdrawals. The two veterans needed a day that reinforced that the work they have been putting in the background is worth it. On Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, they received a shot in the arm. As they both completed their first-round upset job against higher-ranked opponents, they both let out a huge roar. Prannoy had lost the last three times he had faced Kenta Nishimoto but managed to arrest that mini-streak …

For Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, a day of many firsts at his new home as he stuns world No 7

For Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, a day of many firsts at his new home as he stuns world No 7

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“Living the Kuala Lumpur life,” read Sathish Kumar Karunakaran’s Instagram caption as he posed for a photograph with the Petronas Towers in the background. This was in May 2024, shortly after he had made the move to Malaysia to find a launchpad for his badminton career by training under coach Jivananthan Nair. Just over a year later, May 21, 2025, was a day of many firsts for Sathish. His family was in attendance to watch him in action at the Axiata Arena. He was facing a top-10 player for the first time on the BWF World Tour. And in the round of 32 against third seed Chou Tien Chen, Sathish registered the first big breakthrough win of his career, which has seen him shift cities and then countries in search of that elusive push. Fittingly, at his home away from home. “I’m feeling pretty good because I wanted a breakthrough win for a long time. And finally, it happened,” the 24-year-old told The Indian Express after his impressive 21-13, 21-14 win against world No. 7 …

PV Sindhu ‘disappointed’ with Malaysia Masters final loss, but ‘happy’ to make final

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PV Sindhu is upset that she could not win the Malaysia Masters Super 500 women’s singles title, her first final on the BWF World Tour since April last year when she lost to Putri Kusuma Wardani at Madrid Spain Masters. The Indian shuttler suffered a heartbreaking defeat (21-16, 5-21, 16-21) to China’s Wang Zhi Yi at Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena on Sunday despite putting up a brave fight in a 79-minute battle. Wang pulled off a massive upset victory after trailing for most of the deciding third game. “It is sad that I did not get the result that I expected. I think I should have pulled it off, maintaining the lead (in the third game), but there were really good rallies and she also came back. And overall I can say that it is, it has been a very good match,” Sindhu told BWF after the final. Sindhu, despite playing three successive three-game matches en route to the final compared to one by Wang, started the final on a dominating note and won the …

Malaysia Masters 2024 Final Live Updates: PV Sindhu to take on Asian Champion Wang Zhi Yi in title clash | Badminton News

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Malaysia Masters: Sindhu overcomes slow start, outlasts Busanan in 88-minute thriller to reach first final in a year It is a rivalry, so to speak, that extends as far back as 2012 but Busanan Ongbamrungphan has never really managed to crack the code against PV Sindhu. Before Saturday, the Thai shuttler had faced Sindhu 18 times and lost 17 of those matches. But in the semifinal of the Malaysia Masters, she came out firing, almost playing with a lightness of feet that comes with a nothing-to-lose attitude. Sindhu might have dominated this Head-to-Head over the last 12 years, but a measure of the difficulties she faced in Kuala Lumpur could be summed up with this stat: it was only in the 49th point of the match that the Indian managed to string together three straight points. But, once she did that to take an 8-7 lead in Game 2 after dropping the opener, Sindhu didn’t look back. As it turned out, that point is when the momentum swung. Sindhu wouldn’t trail for a single point …

Malaysia Masters LIVE: PV Sindhu faces Wang Zhi Yi in final

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PV Sindhu takes on Wang Zhi Yi of China in the women’s singles final of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. Sindhu, who has been in phenomenal form as she beat top-seeded Han Yue and Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the quarterfinal and semifinals, will look to win her first title since winning the Singapore Open in July 2022. The world no. 15 Indian shuttler will also look to avenge her defeat to Wang in the Arctic Open in 2023. Catch live updates: Source link

Malaysia Masters LIVE: PV Sindhu squares off against Busanan Ongbamrungphan in semis

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Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, will look to make her first final on the BWF World Tour since making a runner-up finish at the Madrid Spain Masters in April last year. This is, meanwhile, Sindhu’s first semifinal since the Denmark Open in October and her consecutive semifinal appearance at the Malaysia Masters. Last year, she lost to Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in straight games in the battle of the last four. Sindhu enjoys a staggering 17-1 head-to-head record against Ongbamrungphan, who last won against the Indian shuttler in 2019. While Sindhu beat the top seed, Han Yue in the semis, Busanan defeated Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia. Catch live updates: Source link