Japan Open 2018: Kidambi Srikanth vs Huang Yuxiang First Round, Live Score and Match Updates

Srikanth def Yuxiang 21-13, 21-15 to enter R2

Updated: 11 September 2018 14:45 IST - Published: 11 September 2018 12:57 IST

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Goodbye!

That was a great performance from Srikanth and this will surely give him a lot of confidence as the tournament progresses further.

And that will also help him forget the bitter memories of the Asiad!

Here's hoping Srikanth can use this confidence to have a better show in the last few months of this season.

It's a 21-13, 21-15 win for Kidambi Srikanth as he enters Round 2.

SRIKANTH GRABS A COUPLE OF POINTS AND WINS THE MATCH!!!

But the Chinese suddenly finds a spark and gets a couple of points!

Trails 15-19

19-13

Srikanth is TWO POINTS AWAY FROM THE WIN!

18-13

Great passage of play from the Indian!

Fourth point in a row for Srikanth!

17-13

This time he doesn't concede the lead and goes up to 16-13

Again Srikanth takes a couple of points!

15-13

It's 13-13 now!

Yuxiang is fighting back!

Srikanth adds two quick points and races ahead to 13-11

Can he keep it going now?

It's 11-11 after the break!

Yuxiang capitalizes on it to have an 11-10 lead at the mid-game interval.

But he can't build on it and they are back to 10-10

Srikanth edges ahead after yet another tie.

He is now up 10-9

It continues to be highly competitive!

8-8

And Yuxiang levels this game!

6-6

It's 6-4 to the Indian

He needs to be careful here as he cannot afford to let the Chinese back in.

And it's 5-2 for the Indian now!

Showing a lot of his skills and attack that he is known for!

Srikanth does not let the momentum go!

He rides on it to open up a 4-1 lead in Game 2

AND SRIKANTH'S EFFORTS BEAR FRUIT!

He takes the first game 21-13

SEVEN GAME POINTS FOR THE INDIAN NOW!

20-13

It's 19-12 for the Indian now.

He seems to have calmed down and is looking very determined at the moment!

NINE CONSECUTIVE POINTS FOR SRIKANTH NOW!

LEADS 17-11

This has been a great turnaround for the Indian post-interval!

He takes his seventh point on the trot!

Leads 15-11

IT'S FIVE CONSECUTIVE POINTS FOR THE INDIAN SHUTTLER!

HE HAS NOW INCHED AHEAD TO 13-11

AND SRIKANTH LEVELS THE GAME!

11-11

After the break, Srikanth looking raring to go and he adds a couple of points!

He now trails 10-11

Yuxiang does not relent and is up 11-8 at the time of the mid-game interval.

Again the Chinese stops his march and extends his lead to 8-6

Srikanth is now making a comeback to trail 5-6

Very fast and attacking points are getting exchanged between the two.

And the Chinese adds a couple of points to go up to 6-3

Yuxiang is leading Srikanth by a slender margin

3-2

Good afternoon!

The match has begun!

Srikanth will look to join Sindhu in Round 2.

Stay tuned for live updates!

Srikanth has been having a struggle this season after finishing last season on a high. His best so far has been a semi-final finish at the Malaysia Open. At the Asian Games, he suffered a shock defeat in the opening round. Srikanth will try his best to bounce back from that defeat and have a good run at this Super 750 tournament to get back some of his last confidence.

With Yuxiang in the first round, it might be easier said than done.

Srikanth needs to be careful in this match as the Chinese won their last encounter at the All England Open this year. Their last two matches went the distance, which itself shows that Yuxiang has always been a tough matchup for the India No. 1 shuttler.

Srikanth is the seventh seed at this Super 750 tournament and will face China's Huang Yuxiang for a place in the second round. The Chinese is ranked 31st while Srikanth is eighth. Srikanth has a 2-1 head-to-head record over the Chinese.

Good afternoon and welcome to the Sportskeeda live coverage of Kidambi Srikanth's first round match at the Japan Open 2018.