woohoo!!! what a big win (must confess I hvnt watched the finals, so don't know which state of mind LD was in) irrespective to win against SuperDan in China is HHUUGGEE !!! Congrats Srikanth .....
Congrats to Srikanth! I still can't believe what Srikanth did. He defeated Lin Dan in a SSP final. Is it just me or is KS is improving with every passing tournament?
CONGRATULATIONS for his maiden title that too a SSP TITLE. He is one of a kind who believes in himself and made his country proud by creating history. He should not take this title to his head and keep on working hard to achieve much more in the near future. He will be one of the wonderful badminton players india had ever produced (not to forget the great prakash padukone and Gopichand). It's clearly visible that his playing style has been changed tremendously in recent times. He was calm and composed in the entire match against lindan. Well deserved victory. For his age , he has shown tremendous maturity and I wish he maintains that. I hope he maintains this consistency in the future tournaments as well. Good luck SRI.
Great moment for Srikanth by becoming only the second Indian player to win SS title, that too in China, that too by beating Lin Dan. On side not, is his nick name Chinnu? That's what it seems from the comments on his facebook page.
Just to point out the magnitude of Srikanth's achievement- Lin Dan has never lost to Chen Long, not to forget that Lin Dan has been champion here 5 times. It's not very far from where he was born. But here are some funny facts: 1> Today was Gopichand's Birthday. Yup! And his 2 disciples won a very special SSP. 2> Gopichand is actually one of the handful of players who has a positive head to head record against Lin Dan(2-1). Of course, the LD that he beat was a rather young one.
Srikanth about his win :" This is an unforgettable day in my career. It is not very often that many have had the privilege of beating such a GREAT player. I owe this win to my coach pullela Gopi Chand and this is the birthday gift I could present him". Congrats....
Kidambi "The Kid" Srikanth had better get used to the spotlight, quickly! Congratulations for a tournament well played. He showed patience and intelligence, and was physically in great shape in the finals against Lin Dan. He had a plan, stuck to it, and made it work. Now he needs to build and fortify his position in the top layer of MS.
http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=89624 Excerpts: The badminton equivalent of an earthquake shook the Thaihot China Open with rank underdog Srikanth Kidambi outplaying Lin Dan in the final today. ...For a player who recovered from a serious setback a few months ago – a bacterial infection in his brain in June had raised the direst scenarios – to a title victory against his idol was the stuff of the wildest dreams, and the soft-spoken Kidambi (BWF home page and left) struggled to put words to his emotions after the win. ...Kidambi played a smart game against a player with a vast arsenal. He starved Lin of the opportunity to unleash his thunderbolts, nor did he allow him a quick game. Kidambi preferred to play the shuttle soft for the most part, was alert for Lin’s cross netshots, and bravely went for the lines when he had the option to smash. Given no quarter, Lin showed his frustration, committing a series of errors in both games as he went down 21-19 21-17. Only briefly in the second game did he unleash his firepower, but the frequent errors appeared to sap his resolve, and he admitted as much. “I’m glad to be in the final, it’s a pity I could not win,” Lin said. “I was injured during the last month, so getting into the final made me happy. Srikanth played positively. The loss of the first game affected my mood. I hadn’t practised the last few weeks, so I could not adjust my game.”
All you need to know about India's badminton sensation, Kidambi Srikanth http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/repor...-badminton-sensation-kidambi-srikanth-2035736 Sunday, 16 November 2014 - 8:37pm IST Updated: Sunday, 16 November 2014 - 8:38pm IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA web desk DNA Web Team Kidambi Srikanth upset Olympic champion Lin Dan, in the final of the China Open Super Series, and became the second Indian player to win a tournament of such stature. Kidambi Srikanth goes for a shot against Lin Dan in the China Open Super Series final. AFP PHOTO After India's rising badminton star, Kidambi Srikanth, notched up a stunning win over China's Lin Dan, in the final of the China Open Super Series, in Fuzhou, the spotlight has come on the Andhra Pradesh shuttler, who may just make the move from obscurity to stardom, post this victory. The China Open was Srikant's first ever Super Series title win, and may open the floodgates for Indian badminton in the near future, considering that beating Dan is definitely no mean achievement. Srikanth, who hails from a typical middle class family, was an obscure player in the badminton world in 2012, thanks to a ranking of 240, which did no justice to his now burgeoning talent. The rise from 240 to a current world ranking of 13, was no easy task for Srikanth, and the lanky lad had to sweat it out in Pulella Gopichand's badminton academy in Hyderabad for a while, to handle the rigours of professional badminton. That stint probably did wonders to Srikanth's career, as the lad began to rise, slowly but steadily, amongst the current breed of young Indian shuttlers, which was evident by his solid performances on the national circuit. Srikanth's first big breakthrough came in 2013, when he upstaged then national champion, Parupalli Kashyap, in the 2013 All India Senior National Championships at New Delhi, thus heralding his rise amongst the country's most talented shuttlers. Up followed more glory in the international circuit, when Srikanth beat Thailand veteran, Boonsak Ponsana, and clinched the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold, at Bangkok in 2013, which made him the second Indian player after HS Prannoy, to win a tournament of such stature. Despite his recent successes, life has not been easy for Srikanth, who has had to endure the rigours of staying away from his family at Vishakapatnam, and also sacrificing his childhood years, in his quest to become a professional badminton player, a fact which he would look back fondly on as for now. Srikanth's plus points are his lightning quick reflexes, and also his ability to dictate play at the net, which are vital ingredients in the making of a badminton superstar. The young turk will have the challenge of managing his temperament in big matches, and also will have to work upon closing out tight encounters, factors which will definitely have an impact on his future career. Fortunately, Srikanth has solid backing from the GoSports Foundation, which has sponsored his financial needs for the sport so far, which will help him sustain himself in the competitive world of professional badminton. Memories of that painful quarter-final loss to Singapore's Derek Wong, in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, have long vanished in thin air, and it is a new Srikanth that has risen to the fore in Indian badminton. So after his historic win over Dan, the stage is set for Srikanth to achieve even greater things for Indian badminton, and it will be no surprise if the Andhra lad does manage to emulate mentor Gopichand, and pulls off an All England win in the years to come by.
Srikanth's so dan good http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-srikanth-s-so-dan-good-2035756 Monday, 17 November 2014 - 6:17am IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA G Krishnan Guntur lad records monumental victory over Lin Dan, widely considered the greatest shuttler of all time * Wins China Open Superseries Premier, equivalent of a Grand Slam title in tennis Srikanth Kidambi did the unthinkable on Sunday. The 21-year-old shuttler from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, achieved what suspended World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia couldn't in major events. On a day when Saina Nehwal had it easy in the final of the China Open Superseries Premier event in Fuzhou, Srikanth defeated the Chinese superstar Lin Dan in straight games. The right-hander silenced the two-time Olympic and five-time world champion 21-19 21-17 in 45 minutes to become the first Indian to win a Superseries Premier title since the Superseries and Superseries Premier events were introduced in 2007. Srikanth, whose win gave India a maiden 'double' after Nehwal overcame World No. 35 Akane Yamaguchi 21-12 22-20, has been making a steady progress on the international circuit. In fact, his recent performances have seen him overtake the more experienced and popular P Kashyap by one place in the BWF world rankings. Srikanth, who has jumped 15 places since mid-July, is now ranked 16th in the world. "The rankings are an indication of how good he is," chief national coach P Gopichand told dna on Sunday. Incidentally, Gopichand celebrated his 41st birthday on Sunday. He couldn't have asked for a better gift, could he? Srikanth won his maiden international title, the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold in Bangkok, last year. On Sunday, he scripted history by winning his maiden Superseries Premier final. The quiet shuttler, who prefers his racquet to do the talking has made the most of the international exposure he has been getting of late. Even if he does not upset higher-ranked players — and he has won quite a few significant conquests against them — he returns a better player after such matches. It was not the first time Srikanth was up against the legendary Dan — widely considered the greatest player to have played the sport — on Sunday. The two had squared off twice before — in the Badminton Asia Championships in April this year and the Thailand Open in 2012. Srikanth lost in straight games on both occasions. Dan, who has nothing more to achieve, could have had a walk in the park against Srikanth, 10 years his junior. But the Indian did not let the pressure get to him. In fact, he put Dan under pressure. Even when Srikanth won the first game 21-19, it seemed that Dan was only warming up and would have it easy. But Srikanth had other plans. With nothing to lose, Srikanth, who trains with Gopichand in Hyderabad, fought hard for every point, staying marginally ahead of Dan. Even on the odd occasion that he lost the lead, he came back stronger. One can imagine how brutal the Chinese can be, the superpowers of badminton, in their own land with the vociferous crowd to boot. Srikanth shut out all those factors and concentrated on taking it point by point, even making Dan work hard for his points. "Srikanth's win is huge for Indian sport," Gopichand said from Hyderabad. "It is so big to beat somebody like Lin Dan in China. Hopefully it will inspire a lot of others to do even better." Gopichand had spoke highly of Srikanth last year. On Sunday, he reiterated the fact. "He is good. The way he played today has showed him in very good light. He looked strong and showed good mental strength." Throwing light on his ward's mental make-up, Gopichand said, "As a player, he has had his pluses and minuses. He is still improving, especially with respect to his approach. As a young player, he used to be an out-and-out attacking player. He is now able to mix it with some good tactical moves and net play as well." Former national coach U Vimal Kumar termed it as a "good day for Indian badminton". It is not often that Indian shuttlers, especially men, beat the Chinese. "It is very extraordinary. Four of five of our men's singles players never believed (that they can beat the Chinese) whereas Sindhu and Saina made it big by winning against them, making use of the opportunities they have got. But on Sunday, Srikanth changed that mentality among India's men shutters. This win will really give him a lot of confidence. He can now be expected to show the same approach. He is as good as anybody," Kumar said. Kumar gave Srikanth full credit for his victory instead of believing that Dan was not at his best. "You have to look at it this way. It is a Superseries Premier event. All the best players were there. The top players lost in the earlier rounds. With Srikanth meeting Lin Dan, whether he was off-colour or not, a win is a win. A player like Srikanth or Kashyap or some others have to take the opportunity whenever it comes their way. That is how you really establish yourself in the big circuit. Even in the tennis circuit, a lot of players take the opportunity to beat a Rafael Nadal or a Roger Federer. They really take it with both hands. When you get the opportunity, you have to grab it. Whether the opponent was good or bad should not be one's concern. Your approach should be to win. That is what Srikanth has done and am very pleased for him." Srikanth, who was eclipsed by Kashyap, has moved ahead of his statemate in the world rankings. Kumar owed it to the international exposure that Srikanth has been receiving. "What is essential is the opportunities to be able to play in the circuit. If you are not able to make it in two or three years' time, then it is not good. Srikanth has been getting that opportunity and I would thank the sports ministry and others for the support and funding they are giving to Indian badminton. These things are paying dividends now." ROAD TO GLORY First Round: Beat RMV Gurusaidutt (IND) 21-11 9-21 21-15 Second Round: Beat Gao Huan (CHN) 21-17 19-21 21-14 Quarterfinals: Beat Kento Momota (JPN) 21-17 23-21 Semifinals: Beat Marc Zwiebler (GER) 21-11 13-7 retd Final: Beat Lin Dan (CHN) 21-19 21-17 KNOW SRIKANTH Born: February 7, 1993, Guntur Singles ranking: 16 MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS China Open Superseries Premier (2014): Winner Singapore Open Superseries (2014): Semifinalist Malaysian Open Superseries (2014): Quarterfinalist India Grand Prix Gold (2013): Runner-up Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold (2013): Winner Maldives International Challenge (2012): Winner Macau Grand Prix Gold (2012): Semifinalist Asian Junior Championships (2011): Quarterfinalist World Junior Championships (2011): Pre-quarterfinalist Commonwealth Youth Games (2011): Silver in mixed doubles, bronze in men's doubles DID YOU KNOW? Superseries events are open to all players affiliated to the Badminton World Federation. Inaugurated in 2007, the BWF World Superseries is a 12-tournament series where top players compete throughout the year for a place in the season finale, the Superseries Finals in Dubai in December. The top eight players in the five categories qualify for the Superseries Finals. Five of the Superseries events are chosen as Superseries Premier that serve up higher ranking points and prize money. The Superseries Premier events are Malaysia Open, All England Open, Indonesia Open, Denmark Open and China Open. These are as prestigious as the Grand Slam tournaments in tennis
http://s.ndtvimg.com/images/content/2014/nov/806/srikanth-china-open.jpg K.srikanth is using jawbone, that's why he beat lindan i wonder how many steps he take everyday? 30-40k ? my normal day only 3-4k
Saina should be the first Indian to win a premier superseries. Not KS. Apart from that, a nice article by DNA.
When brain fever almost got Kidambi Srikanth HYDERABAD: From the jaws of death to the podium in the Mecca of badminton - China, Kidambi Srikanth has endured a roller coaster ride in the last four months. Srikanth was found unconscious in the washroom in the first week of July. Neither chief coach Pullela Gopichand nor his mother Subbaravamma, who looks after the Academy, were present at the venue. The 21-year-old, who is also the first Indian to win a Grand Prix Gold outside India, was shifted to a corporate hospital where the doctors said he had brain fever. A worried Gopi and Srikanth's family waited with bated breath as the shuttler was recovering in the ICU. "We were worried about his survival. He went through the most dangerous phase of his life. From then on it was a big task for us to motivate him. He struggled in a few tournaments after that. But all along he was confident and working very hard," Gopichand said, adding that beating Lin Dan in China was no mean task. The Guntur lad arrived at the Gopichand Academy in 2008-09 in dramatic circumstances. His brother Nandagopal is a trainee at the Academy and Srikanth was testing the patience of his parents without doing anything worthwhile. It was at this juncture Srikanth's father pleaded with Gopi to allow his younger son to join the academy. Srikanth was soon drafted into the doubles and mixed doubles training teams. By 2011, Gopi noticed that the teenager has a lot of promise. He soon moved Srikanth to the singles and it is then the career graph of Srikanth began to rise. During the Indian Badminton League, coach of world No.1 Lee Chong Wei, Tae Je Bok asked an Indian official about Srikanth. Tae told the official that Srikanth resembles Wei in his movement and approach. His prophecy that Srikanth will one day become a great player came true on Sunday. Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...got-Kidambi-Srikanth/articleshow/45172880.cms
Tae Je Bok? I think it's spelled Tey Seu Bock. What is going to be KS's rank after this? I am guessing he is going to move into top 10. He is going to get 11000 points here and he currently has 45200. Minus points from his 10th best point earning performance which can't be too much. So by next week he should be in top 10. Isn't it?