China Open 2018: Kidambi Srikanth vs Rasmus Gemke First Round, Live Score and Match Updates

Srikanth def Gemke 21-9, 21-19 to enter R2

Updated: 19 September 2018 14:06 IST - Published: 19 September 2018 12:55 IST

And that wraps up our live coverage of this match.

Do join us tomorrow as we bring you live updates from the second round of the China Open 2018.

Goodbye!

Srikanth had some tough challenge in the second game, where he inexplicably lost the momentum but then he managed to regain it with some smart and attacking play.

That should give him loads of confidence ahead of the tougher next few rounds.

Srikanth thus joins PV Sindhu in the second round of this Super 1000 tournament.

AND SRIKANTH GETS THE JOB DONE!!!!!

IT'S A 21-9, 21-19 WIN FOR THE INDIAN IN 30 MINUTES!!!!!

HE IS THROUGH TO THE SECOND ROUND!!

AND SRIKANTH HAS MATCH POINT!!!!!

20-19

It continues to be highly competitive in the closing stages of the second game

The two are evenly poised at 19-19

Can Srikanth finish this in straight games?

A long rally ends in favour of the Dane.

He is up 18-17

AND SRIKANTH SHOWS HIS TRADEMARK FIGHTING SPIRIT TO LEVEL THE GAME YET AGAIN!

IT'S 17-17 NOW

The rallies have become longer but that is not troubling Gemke.

Still comfortably in the lead at 16-13

It's 15-13 for the Dane presently.

Gemke is steadily building on his lead as Srikanth's game is collapsing into a heap of errors.

Gemke is up 13-10

Gemke is up 11-9 going into the mid-game interval.

But Srikanth can't prevent Gemke from taking the next two points and build a 10-8 lead

And, as expected, Srikanth has levelled the score.

8-8

He is up 8-6 now

Gemke continues with his attacking approach and goes up to 7-5

Wow! Suddenly Gemke is in control!

He takes FOUR POINTS ON THE TROT TO GO UP TO 6-4

Gemke has fought back to 4-4

And Srikanth makes his mark early in the second game as well!!!!

He is 4-2 up

It's 1-1 in Game 2

That was a total demolition job from the Indian!!!!

AND SRIKANTH CONVERTS THE VERY FIRST ONE!!!!

SRIKANTH TAKES THE FIRST GAME 21-9

11 game points for the Indian!!!!!

20-9

The difference is still of ten points!

Srikanth up 18-8

Gemke 7-17 now

2 more points for the Dane

He is trailing the Indian 6-17

Gemke finally stops Srikanth's march and pulls back 2 points. But that does little to stall Srikanth's momentum!

Srikanth up 17-4 now

Another couple of points in the Indian's kitty....he is unstoppable!

15-2

Srikanth adds two more points after the break and goes up to 13-2

Srikanth continues with his dream start....absolutely flawless so far!

He has a huge lead of 11-2 going into the mid-game interval.

That doesn't stop Srikanth's smooth progress.

Srikanth is now up 8-1

Gemke is finally on the board after Srikanth took the first six points.

Gemke is 1-6

It's 5-0 for the Indian

Pretty aggressive start from the Indian

Srikanth is moving fast here and has gone up to 4-0

It's 2-0 to Srikanth

And the match is under way!

First point to Srikanth

Srikanth should have an easy time on the court at the China Open today. Going by the form that he showed in Tokyo last week, the firepower and the hunger seem to be back. Srikanth has struggled for most of the season this year and this is his great chance to keep performing consistently. Srikanth surely wouldn't like to give up this priceless opportunity of making a statement at this tournament.

At the China Open, Srikanth opens his campaign against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. The Danish shuttler is World No. 23 and he has never met Srikanth previously in any professional match.

Good afternoon and welcome to the Sportskeeda live coverage of the China Open first round men's singles match of Kidambi Srikanth. The Indian is the seventh seed at this Super 1000 tournament and is hoping to build on his form after reaching the quarter-finals of the Japan Open last week. At Tokyo, Srikanth was the best-performing Indian as he was the only one from the contingent to make it to the last-eight.