Hylo Open: Kidambi Srikanth, Gayatri-Treesa lose in semifinals

World no. 19 Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard beat Gayatri-Treesa 17-21, 21-14, 21-18 in the semifinal of the Hylo Open.

FILE PHOTO: Gayatri Gopichand Pullela and Treesa Jolly in action during their women’s doubles bronze medal match against Australia on day ten of the 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC Arena in Birmingham on August 07, 2022. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

India’s campaign in the Hylo Open Super 300 badminton tournament ended after Gayatri Gopichand-Treesa Jolly and Kidambi Srikanth lost their respective semifinals here on Saturday.

In the first match, women’s doubles duo Gayatri-Treesa lost to Benyapa Aimsaard-Nuntakarn Aimsaard despite taking the first-game lead. Benyapa-Nuntakarn won the match 17-21, 21-14, 21-18 in one hour and two minutes.

With five consecutive points, Gayatri-Treesa won the first game 21-17. In the second game, the world no. 19 Thai pair found their rhythm back and widened the lead to 16-12, and went on to level the parity at 21-14.

The third game was closely fought. The world no. 28 Indian pair earned three points lead. Benyapa-Nuntakarn did try to fight back with a few points but Gayatri-Treesa cruised with an 11-7 lead at the interval.

However, post-interval, the Thai pair squeezed the gap at 13-15 with four consecutive points and ultimately levelled at 18-18 before wrapping up the match, winning the game 21-18.

This is the Thai pair’s first win over Gayatri-Treesa. In the All England Open Badminton Championship in March, Gayatri-Treesa defeated them in the Round of 32 meeting.

Benyapa-Nuntakarn will take on Lu Ying Yao-Yang Po Han of Chinese Taipei in the final.

Kidambi Srikanth loses fourth semifinal of the year

In the men’s singles semifinal, world no. 11 Kidambi Srikanth went down to world no. 6 Anthony Ginting in straight games.

Srikanth lost the first game 21-18. In the second game, Ginting swiftly took an 11-6 lead and advanced to the final with a 21-15 win.

This is Srikanth’s fourth semifinal defeat in 2022. Earlier this year, the former world no. 1 Indian lost in the last-four stage at the Swish Open in March, Korea Open in April, Commonwealth Games in August, respectively. However, he was key to India’s Thomas Cup team championship triumph in Bangkok in May.

The Indonesian will face Chou Tien Chen in the summit clash on Sunday. Tien Chen beat Toma Junior Popov in the semifinal.

Meanwhile, in women’s singles, Chinese shuttler Zhang Yi Man beat former world champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-18, 21-17. In the final, Yi man will face her compatriot Han Yue, who defeated Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska in straight games (21-19, 21-19).