Kidambi Srikanth Reaches Semifinals at Malaysia Masters After Thrilling Victory

In a remarkable comeback, seasoned Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has advanced to the semifinals of the Malaysia Masters, defeating higher-ranked Toma Junior Popov. This victory marks Srikanth's first semifinal appearance in over a year, showcasing his resilience and tactical prowess. After overcoming a challenging period in his career, he has now achieved five consecutive wins in the tournament. As he prepares to face Japan's Yushi Tanaka in the semifinals, Srikanth reflects on his journey and the hard work that has led him back to form. Read on to discover more about his inspiring performance and upcoming match.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 24, 2025, 03:52 IST

Srikanth's Remarkable Comeback

Veteran Indian badminton player Kidambi Srikanth has made a significant return by advancing to his first semifinal in over a year, following a hard-fought victory against France's higher-ranked Toma Junior Popov at the Malaysia Masters tournament on Friday.

Currently ranked 65th globally, Srikanth showcased impressive resilience and strategic skill, defeating world number 18 Popov with scores of 24-22, 17-21, and 22-20 in a quarterfinal match that lasted one hour and 14 minutes.

The 32-year-old from Guntur, who earned a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships, has faced challenges in recent seasons, grappling with both form and fitness issues.

Despite these hurdles, he fought through the qualifiers and has now achieved five consecutive victories, propelling him to the latter stages of a BWF World Tour event.

Reflecting on his performance, Srikanth expressed, 'It’s been a while since I’ve won this many matches in a tournament, and I hope to keep this momentum going.'

He added, 'I’ve always aimed to improve myself, and this win confirms that my efforts are paying off,' recalling his successful 2017 season when he claimed four titles and contributed to India's historic Thomas Cup victory in 2022.

In the semifinals, Srikanth will face Japan's Yushi Tanaka, marking his first semifinal appearance in over a year.

Tanaka, who has secured two Super 300 titles—the Orleans Masters and the U.S. Open—defeated Christo Popov, Toma Junior's brother, with scores of 21-18, 16-21, and 21-6 in another quarterfinal match.

The other semifinal will feature fourth seed Kodai Naraoka from Japan against second seed Li Shi Feng from China.

Currently, Srikanth stands as the only Indian competitor remaining in the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament after the mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto exited in the quarterfinals.

Kapila and Crasto put up a strong fight against the top-seeded pair of Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin from China but ultimately fell short, losing 22-24, 13-21 in a 35-minute match.

Previously, Srikanth had faced Toma twice, losing at the 2021 Orleans Masters and the 2023 French Open, but this time he turned the tables in a 74-minute match filled with intense pressure and momentum shifts.

Srikanth started strong, taking a 5-1 lead in the first game, but Toma fought back to equalize at 7-7. The match then evolved into a fierce contest for dominance, with the lead frequently changing hands. Nevertheless, Srikanth maintained his composure to secure the win against the French player.