Kidambi Srikanth's run in the Japan Open has come to an end after losing to Germany's Marc Zwiebler in the quarterfinals of the competition on Friday. The eighth seed lost the match in a tight three-game affair, score reading 21-18, 14-21, 19-21.
It was a brilliant match, which lasted for 58 minutes, with both players producing some exemplary shots from the baseline as well as the net to win some amazing points. Zwiebler matched Srikanth point-by-point to reach the semifinals of the competition.
Srikanth looked brilliant in the opening game against his fellow opponent, where he took his chances and secured some important points with smashes down the line, which were good. The Indian shuttler won the game 21-18.
But Zwiebler was in desperate need to clinch the second game to take the quarterfinals to the decider, and boy, the German did show his class, coming up with some stunning badminton to win it in a rather easy manner 21-14.
In the final game, both players were aware of the need to take their game a notch higher, but it was the German player, who looked solid. Despite a great effort from Srikanth, Zwiebler held his nerve to get past the Indian in the third game, 21-19.
Though Zwiebler has marched into the last four of Japan Open, he has a mammoth task in the semifinals as he is set to face the top seed and 2016 Olympics silver medallist Lee Chong Wei for a place in the finals.
