Kidambi Srikanth file photo© AFP
Former world n ° 1 Kidambi Srikanth recorded a victory over the French Junior Popov Toma in the quarter-final and increased in the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters 2025 badminton tournament in Bukit Jalil, as reported by the Olympic Games.com. Currently ranked 65th in the badminton classification, Srikanth came from the rear to the decision maker to record a gravelly 24-22, 17-21, 22-20 on the number 18 of the world in a match that lasted an hour and 14 minutes on Friday. It will be the first appearance in Srikanth’s semi-finals of the year. Its latest top four of the BWF world tour was at the Swiss Open Super 300 in March 2024.
The Indian badminton player made a quick start, increasing in a 7-4 advance in the opening match, only for Popov to go back.
It was the French steering wheel which held an opportunity for a game point at 21-20, but Srikanth turned the tide to tear off the opener.
Srikanth dragged four points at the break in the second match. He pulled level at 15-15 but lost steam while the match entered the decision maker.
Srikanth was also four points behind his opponent in the third break from the match match, but this time he set up an inspiring return to seal the competition. It was his fourth victory over Toma Junior Popov in six meetings.
Kidambi Srikanth, who defeated the world number 33 of Nhat Nguyen in 16 years, will face the world No. 22, Yushi Tanaka, in the semi-finals on Saturday. Tanaka had beaten Hs Prannoy in her 16 game round.
Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for the pair of mixed doubles from Paris 2024 Olympian Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila.
Indian badminton players dropped by 22-24, 13-21 in the quarter-final against the People’s Republic of China Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, bronze medalists of the 2023 world championships.
Srikanth is now the only Indian challenge that remains at the BWF Super 500 tournament.
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