Thanks for tuning into Sportstar's LIVE coverage of the men's singles semifinal of the BWF World Championships 2021 between India's Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen. This was Nihit Sachdeva taking you through the action as it unfurled in Huelva, Spain.
That's it for today. Thank you so much for tuning in.
Incredible performance from both the Indians but it is Srikanth who will fight for the title on Sunday after winning a thrilling semifinal that went on for one hour and eight minutes. As far as Lakshya is concerned, the youngster can be proud of winning bronze at his very first World Championships.
Here's the complete list of Indian medallists at BWF World Championships-
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 21-17 Lakshya - Srikanth has won a thriller! A body smash and Lakshya can only send it into the net. Kidambi Srikanth becomes the first male Indian player ever to reach the final of the BWF World Championships!
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 19-16 Lakshya - Nine of the last 12 points for Srikanth. A down the line smash and no answer for it from Sen.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 17-16 Lakshya - Clever stuff from Srikanth as he made it look like he was going for the jump smash but in the end totally deceived Lakshya with a drop.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 16-15 Lakshya - It looked like Srikanth had no energy left as he was just walking between the shots but a perfect drive past Lakshya to win the point.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 15-15 Lakshya - Back level! This is anybody's game now. Srikanth won't back down.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 12-13 Lakshya - Not this time though. An easy drive past Lakshya and Srikanth cuts the lead down to a single point.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 10-13 Lakshya - Brave defending from Lakshya. Not many can survive the barrage of smashes Srikanth sends but the youngster not only survives but in the end, sends a cross-court one himself to win the point.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 10-12 Lakshya - Challenge from Sri but the hawk-eye shows that his shot landed comfortably wide of the inner tramline.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 9-11 Lakshya - Patient play from Srikanth as he waited for the perfect time before sending a cracking cross-court smash.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 8-11 Lakshya - It is a three-point lead for Lakshya at the final mid-game interval. Stay tuned folks because this is getting exciting.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 8-10 Lakshya - Lakshya is defending with all his might and forcing Srikanth to look for the winners. He is successful as Srikanth's smash lands wide.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 7-8 Lakshya - A 43-shot rally and in the end, it is Srikanth, whose drop shot lands just outside the inner tramline.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 7-7 Lakshya - Lakshya was in position for the backhand from Srikanth to smash it into the court.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 4-5 Lakshya - Three points on the trot for the 20-year-old. Has he still got something left in the tank? You bet he has.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 4-2 Lakshya - Easy cross-court smash for Srikanth to win another point.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 3-1 Lakshya - Ruthless from Srikanth as he makes Lakshya run all around the court to defend and then smashes one out of his reach.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14, 1-0 Lakshya - A perfectly executed slow drop from the back of the court leaves Sen no chance.
Srikanth 17-21, 21-14 Lakshya - Considering where he was at the start, this has been a brilliant comeback from Srikanth as he sends a cross-court smash to win the second game and force a deciding third one.
Srikanth 17-21, 19-14 Lakshya - Lakshya did all the hard work but in the end, drove one just wide.
Srikanth 17-21, 18-14 Lakshya - A comfortable four-point lead for Srikanth now.
Srikanth 17-21, 16-14 Lakshya - Srikanth's lift wasn't far enough and an easy smash to end the rally for Lakshya.
Srikanth 17-21, 15-12 Lakshya - Looks like Srikanth has managed to tire out the youngster who lifts one into the net.
Srikanth 17-21, 13-12 Lakshya - Lakshya rightly lets Srikanth's drive shot go past him as the shuttle lands beyond the baseline.
Srikanth 17-21, 12-10 Lakshya - Lakshya finally manages to break Srikanth's momentum and forces him to smash one into the net.
Srikanth 17-21, 11-9 Lakshya - Seven of the last eight points for Srikanth. Amazing comeback from him and just at the right time as he goes into the mid-game interval with a two-point lead.
Srikanth 17-21, 8-9 Lakshya - Wrong judgment from Lakshya this time as Srikanth's slow drive just lands on the inside side line.
Srikanth 17-21, 6-8 Lakshya - Much better from Srikanth. Controlled the rally and when he had the opportunity, he attacked Lakshya's body with quick smashes before blasting one into the court.
Srikanth 17-21, 4-6 Lakshya - Srikanth lifts one from the net but Sen judges it correctly as it lands past the baseline.
Srikanth 17-21, 2-4 Lakshya - Srikanth needs to get his act together here. Another one sent into the net.
Srikanth 17-21, 1-1 Lakshya - A confident smash from Lakshya.
Srikanth 17-21 Lakshya - First blood to Lakshya! The 20-year-old sends Srikanth to the back of the net and finishes the rally with a delightful drop shot, totally out of Srikanth's reach.
Srikanth 17-20 Lakshya - Mistakes from a visibly nervous Srikanth are just not ending as he tries another winner and sends it wide. Three game points for Sen.
Srikanth 17-17 Lakshya - Bad miss from Srikanth. Easy drive shot for the taking but he manages to only hit the net.
Srikanth 16-16 Lakshya - What a rally! Both players testing each other to the limit and eventually, it is Lakshya who sends one into the net. Parity restored.
Srikanth 13-16 Lakshya - Excellent cross-court smash from the youngster leaves the seasoned campaigner on all-fours on the court.
Srikanth 11-15 Lakshya - Lovely set up by Lakshya. Perfect net shot followed by a quick kill.
Srikanth 11-13 Lakshya - This time it is Lakshya who goes for the glory jump smash and misses the line.
Srikanth 10-11 Lakshya - Down the line drop shot from Srikanth leaves no chance for Lakshya to retrieve it.
Srikanth 8-11 Lakshya - And the youngster has the lead going into the mid-game interval.
Srikanth 8-10 Lakshya - Srikanth is going for the winners and missing them by quite a margin. Another one goes wide.
Srikanth 7-8 Lakshya - Srikanth drives one wide. Lakshya takes the lead for the first time.
Srikanth 6-6 Lakshya - Lots of net shots early on from both the players. Lakshya finishes the rally with a beautiful drop shot.
Srikanth 6-4 Lakshya - Srikanth wrong-footed Lakshya and the youngster could not get back in the right position to send the shuttle over the net.
Srikanth 4-2 Lakshya - Short life from Lakshya allows Srikanth to smash one down at his body.
Srikanth 2-2 Lakshya - An attempted cross-court smash from Sri just goes wide.
Srikanth 1-0 Lakshya - A nice rally to start the proceedings. Sri gets the first point as Lakshya hits one into the net.
AND THE SEMIFINAL BEGINS!
The warm-up is done. Srikanth to serve.
The two Indians have entered the court. Lakshya Sen won the toss and chose far side of the court.
Match Preview
In a historic first, India was assured of at least two medals in the men's singles competition of the ongoing BWF World Badminton Championships after the seasoned Kidambi Srikanth and young Lakshya Sen entered their maiden semifinals of the marque event on Friday.
India is assured of at least a silver as Srikanth and Sen will face each other in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Srikanth, seeded 12th in the showpiece tournament, sent Mark Caljouw of the Netherlands packing with a 21-8, 21-7 win in his quarterfinal that lasted just 26 minutes.
And then the unseeded Sen fought his heart out to get the better of China's Jun Peng Zhao 21-15, 15-21, 22-20 in an enthralling three-game final eight encounter lasting one hour and seven minutes.
"I was confident in rallying it out. Both of us made some mistakes. At 20-all I slipped but I managed to pull off a winner and I got a bit lucky," said Sen.
"I haven't played Srikanth in three years, it's been a while, so it will be a good match. He's playing really well, he's beaten opponents in single digits this week.
"I'm also playing well, and we both play an attacking style. Let's see who makes the final. India is assured of a finalist, so that's a good thing. I will go all out," he added.
Srikanth said, "I just told myself I had to be in the match, I didn't want to give a big lead or make easy mistakes, I had to be focussed."
"I'm happy to reach this stage. Coming into this tournament, I was only thinking of the first round. From there it was only about the next match."
The two will join the legendary Prakash Padukone (bronze in 1983) and B Sai Praneeth (bronze in 2019) as the male Indian medal winners at the showpiece.
Where to watch?
Men's Singles semifinal of the BWF World Championships between India's Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen will be live telecast on Star Sports Network and live streamed on Disney+ Hotstar tentatively from 11 pm onwards on Saturday, December 18.
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