Former world number one Kidambi Srikanth's wait for a BWF World Tour title continues after he finished runner-up at the US Open Badminton tournament, losing to Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang in the men's singles final.
The 33-year-old Indian went down 15-21, 21-16, 9-21 in the summit clash in Fullerton, with the match lasting one hour and nine minutes.
Su made a strong start, racing to a 10-5 lead in the opening game. Srikanth fought back to level the score at 10-10, but the Taiwanese shuttler responded with a seven-point streak to take control and win the first game.
Srikanth bounced back in the second game. After staying level with his opponent through the opening exchanges, he surged from 15-13 to 20-13 before converting his fourth game point to force a decider.
The effort appeared to take a toll on the Indian in the third game. Although Srikanth stayed within touching distance at 9-7, Su won eight consecutive points to seal the match and lift the title.
Despite falling short in the final, Srikanth drew widespread praise during the tournament for an act of sportsmanship in the semifinal. After officials declined to overturn an incorrect line call despite protests, the Indian voluntarily conceded the point to his Japanese opponent, Okimoto, earning appreciation from fans and fellow players.