Match: Kidambi Srikanth v Sai Praneeth, Men's singles semi-final
Date: 28 January, Saturday
Time: 7:50pm SGT/5:20pm IST/11:50am GMT
Competition: Syed Modi International Badminton Championships 2017
Venue: UP Badminton Academy, Lucknow
TV Channel: There is no live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live Streaming: BWF official Youtube channel, Hotstar
Live Updates will be available on tournament's official website.
Overview
Defending champion Kidambi Srikanth has been in the right track to clinch his first title of 2017 at the ongoing tournament. The world number 19 was tested in the first round by unseeded compatriot Lakahnee Sarang but was untroubled since then enroute to the semi-final.
Srikanth outclassed Zulfadli Zulkiffli in the quarter-final 21-12, 21-17 in 43 minutes on Friday. The seventh-seeded Malaysian shuttler battled hard to push the match to the decider by putting up a stern fight in the second game but it was not enough to stop the two-time champion from progressing.
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Notably, the 23-year-old also outclassed Zulfadli's brother Zulhelmi in the second round 21-5, 21-12 in just 22 minutes. However, the Rio Olympic quarter-finalist will face a stiff test in the semi-final against compatriot Sai Praneeth on Saturday.
Sai won a hard-fought quarter-final against 11th-seeded compatriot Sourabh Varma 21-19, 12-21, 21-10 in 56 minutes. Also, the ninth seed signalled his intentions when he demolished seventh seed Danish shuttler Anders Antonsen in the third round clash 21-17, 21-19. The world number 36, who did had a disappointing campaign in 2016, will want to carry forward his winning momentum and go the distance at the ongoing Grand Prix Gold tournament.
Also, Sai has a 3-1 head-to-head advantage win over Srikanth but their last meeting at 2014 India Grand Prix Gold ended in the latter's favour. The lower-ranked shuttler has to be at his best from the word go on Saturday if he has to stand a chance of pulling of an upset against the defending champion.
TV Schedule
India: Star Sports 4
