Hong Kong Open: Kidambi Srikanth reaches semi-final after Chen Long retires hurt

Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth booked his place in the semi-final of the ongoing Hong Kong Open badminton tournament after his opponent fifth-seeded Chen Long of China retired hurt during the last-eight clash of the men's singles event on Friday. 

The 26-year-old shuttler comfortably clinched the first game against Long 21-13 in 15 minutes. Before Srikanth and Long could start the second game of the quarter-final clash, the Chinese shuttler was forced to retire hurt.

Srikanth will now lock horns with the winner of another quarter-final clash between seventh-seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong for a place in the summit showdown of the tournament. 

On Thursday, Srikanth rebounded strongly from the second game down to clinch a 21-11, 15-21, 21-19 triumph over fellow countryman Sourabh Verma in the round-of-18 to book his place in the quarter-final of the tournament. 

It will be the Indian shuttler's first semi-final match since his appearance in the India Open final earlier in March this year.

Earlier, Rio Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy crashed out of the tournament after losing their respective second round clashes against Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.

In the mixed doubles' event, the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa too bowed out of the tournament after slumping to 19-21, 12-21 defeat at the hands of Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino.