Finally, prodigious Kidambi Srikanth wins Syed Modi International title

Srikanth was playing in his third successive final of the tournament and took a little over an hour to get the better of unseeded Chinese youngster in three games.

New Delhi: India's rising badminton star Kidambi Srikanth finally capture his first Syed Modi International Badminton Championships title on Sunday after beating China's Huang Yuxiang in the men's singles final in Lucknow.

The 22-year-old, who was playing in his third successive final of the tournament, took a little over an hour to get the better of unseeded Chinese youngster in three games, 21-13, 14-21, 21-14 at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium.

The top-seeded Indian started strongly, opening up a 4-2 lead, then from a comfortable 8-3 lead, won the first game 21-13. But Yuxiang fought back with a superb display to wrest the second game 21-14 even as the world no. nine from India seemed to have lost momentum after the change-over.

Playing with an urgency, Srikanth then increased the tempo of the game in the decider, and the issue with a relatively 21-14 win.

However, in the men's doubles event, Indian pair of Pranaav Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar suffered a heart-breaking three-game defeat to experienced Malaysian team of Goh V. Shem and Wee Kiong Tan.

The Indians lost 14-21, 24-22, 21-8.