$120,000 Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold, Lucknow, Jan.16

[sameerph]

Srikanth completes a comprehensive win in the SF.

[SF] (1) K. Srikanth (IND,9) d. (11) Boonsak PONSANA (THA,28) 21-14 21-7

Next,

[F] (1) K. Srikanth (IND,9) vs. HUANG Yuxiang (CHN,73)

Like Ponsana, Srikanth beat Huang in straight games last week. But, the Chinese youngster beat 3 Indian players - Kashyap, Prannoy and Sameer Verma this week. So, Srikanth will need to avenge losses of all of those.

[sameerph]

Another excellent upset win by the pair of Pranav and Askhay over world no. 7 Korean pair. Jwala- Ashwini lost their SF though.

[SF] Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / Akshay DEWALKAR (IND) d. (2) KIM Sa Rang / KIM Gi Jung (KOR) 25-23 13-21 21-17

[SF] (6) Jwala GUTTA /Ashwini PONNAPPA (IND) l. (2) JUNG Kyung Eun / SHIN Seung Chan (KOR) 14-21 16-21

So, Pranav/ Akshay into their first grand prix gold final after beating world no. 10, 8 and 7 in back to back matches. They now face the world no.15 Malyasian pair in the final.

[F] Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / Akshay DEWALKAR (IND) vs. V Shem GOH / Wee Kiong TAN (MAS)

[Sin Hombre]

Took us a long time, as is often the case in India, but appointing a top doubles coach in Tan Kim Her is starting to show results. Manu and Sumeeth winning in the last GPG of 2015 and now this run from Akshay and Pranav. Hopefully we can have a few pairs in the top 10 within the next couple of years.

[sameerph]

Our doubles pair won the first game 21-16 and missed a couple of matchpoints in second game only to lose it 22-24.

[sameerph]

And in the third game they look physically and mentally exhausted after failing to finish the march in 2. They get outplayed in third game.

[F] Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / Akshay DEWALKAR (IND) l. V Shem GOH / Wee Kiong TAN (MAS) 21-16 22-24 8-21

Srikant's singles final will start now.

[sameerph]

Srikanth wins the first game 21-13.

[sameerph]

Srikanth was up 11-7 in the second game. But,then could win only 3 out of next 17 points to lose the second game 14-21.

On to the decider. Can Sri recover from that setback in second game ?

[sameerph]

Initially, game continued in same vein as second game and Sri was down 2-7 but has now smartly come back to lead 11-10 at halfway stage in third game.

[sameerph]

From 12-13 down wins 6 straight points to lead 18-13.

And wins it 21-14.

[ankit1407]

He wins , at 14-13 he got a lucky call ...shuttle was miles inside but linesman called it out..after that it was one way mostly...we will take it...Srikanth is not yet back to the play he showed in 2014

[sameerph]

I think he is getting close to that level. At one point last year it seemed that he is on his way to go out of top 10. But, seems to have somewhat got back on track. This is his first title since that great 2014 China SSP one. So, should give him a lot of confidence.


[F] (1) K. Srikanth (IND,9) d. HUANG Yuxiang (CHN,73) 21-13 24-21 21-14