After back-to-back Super Series titles, Indian top-seed Srikanth Kidambi targets BWF World title

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: He sure is India's best chance in men's singles. But Srikanth Kidambi knows how tough it's to compete against the world's best in the grandest of stage. He has tasted success in Super Series and is confident and ready to win that coveted world title.

The 2017 BWF World Championships in Glasgow will witness the who's who of badminton fighting for the top prize, and in the men's singles section, the 24-year-old Indian is considered a title contender thanks to his fearless approach and tactical acumen.

Seeded eighth, which is also his current world ranking, Kidambi will open his campaign against World No. 70 Sergey Sirant. In the next round, he is likely to meet 14th seeded Dane, Anders Antonsen.

The Indian shuttler, who won back-to-back Super Series title in Indonesia and Australia, then can meet World No. 1 Son Wan Ho in the quarters. It will be their third meeting in as many tournaments. But the Indian can take heart from the fact that he has beaten the top ranked Korean to win those Super Series titles.

Talking about the upcoming tournament and the challenges it poses, Srikanth said that “these big events will have pressure because people will want to do well, so there will be definitely pressure," but he "can only think about doing well.”

After losing three good months of action in 2016 due to a stress fracture, Srikanth returned with a bang to reach the final of the Singapore Open, only to went down to compatriot B Sai Praneeth.

It was followed by those twin titles, and burgeoning prize money. For the record, Srikanth pocketed a staggering US $147,847.50, to become the top earner in 2017 prize money.