Australian Open: Kidambi Srikanth storms into 3rd consecutive Superseries final

Kidambi Srikanth entered the $750,000 Australian Open men’s singles final with ease, making short work of Chinese fourth seed Shi Yuqi in straight games in Sydney on Saturday.

The World No.11 Indian needed just 37 minutes to move into the summit clash after defeating Shi 21-10, 21-14 at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre.

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This was the Hyderabadi’s second win over the World No.4 Chinese in as many meetings, having defeated Shi in the Singapore Open Superseries in April.

Srikanth is looking to become only the second Indian to win the Australian Open after ace shuttler Saina Nehwal won in 2014 and 2016.

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The only Indian left in the competition, Srikanth has been on a roll this year. The World No.11 has reached three consecutive Superseries finals now.

He finished runners-up to compatriot B Sai Praneeth in Singapore but ended up winning the $1,000,000 Indonesia Open Superseries Premier last Sunday.

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The Guntur-born lad will take on reigning Olympic champion Chen Long of China in the final who defeated South Korea’s Lee Hyun Il 26-24, 15-21, 21-17 in an hour and eight minutes in the other semi-final.

If the 24-year-old Srikanth wins on Sunday, he will clinch his fourth Superseries crown and second this year and in a row.