Kidambi Srikanth vs Viktor Axelsen Livescore and Commentary India Open Second Round

Kidambi Srikanth lose to Viktor Axelsen, 7-21, 11-21

Updated: 30 March 2017 18:48 IST - Published: 30 March 2017 17:46 IST

The Dane really walked all over the Indian who looks nowhere near his best.

And that's it. Another shot that is just too long and Axelsen has made this look just too easy.

The Rio Olympic quarter-finalist is staring down a tame defeat.

But Axelsen again hits back with two points of his own. This is not going to end well for Srikanth.

11-16 Srikanth working Axelsen well and induces a wide shot from the third-seed.

And finally, Srikanth gets a point back. But this will take a monumental effort from the Indian to make a comeback.

And now six points on the trot. Axelsen is cruising.

The length of Srikanth's shots is really worrisome. Not much purchase and the third seed is pulling away again. Three points on the trot.

What a lovely rally and Axelsen is fully stretched at the net. Dives to keep the point alive but Srikanth prods it to win the point.

Axelsen quickly hits back to get his serve back. 8-7 to the Dane.

Srikanth working the nets and forces two consecutive errors now. Back at 7 a piece.

But time and again Axelsen is proving to be a class apart. Easy finish to make it 7-5

A nice smash to the backhand side from Srikanth and that's 5-5. A much better effort from the Indian.

But Srikanth is making a run back into the game. Two points on the trot to make it 2-2.

And the second begins on the same note as Kidambi is too long with his dab to the right hand corner.

Axelsen has stormed through the first game. Kidambi totally outclassed.

Axelsen is of course the third seed in the tournament whilst Srikanth is coming off a long injury lay-off which has seen his raking drop outside the top 30.

Meanwhile, Sai Praneeth put up a gutsy effort to edge past the Japanese qualifier Kenta Nishimoto 16-21, 21-12, 21-19 in a marathon battle that lasted one hour two minutes.

His elder brother, Sourabh, also won, making it a great day for the Verma family. The reigning national champion triumphed 21-13, 21-16 over countryman HS Prannoy, who is ranked 26thpresently, 15 places above Sourabh.

The Indian men have already been making noise in the tournament. Sameer Verma, the Syed Modi International men’s singles champion played a sensational match in the first round to stun the fourth seed and World No. 5 Son Wan Ho of Korea, 21-17, 21-10 in 45 minutes.

The Dane, meanwhile eliminated the India No. 1 Ajay Jayaram, 23-21, 21-17 in his first round encounter.

Srikanth, who is currently World No. 31 avenged his All England Championships first round defeat to Zhao Junpeng by notching up a 21-19, 21-16 win in 32 minutes in the first round over here at Delhi.

The final a couple of years ago was a gruelling one in which Srikanth ultimately prevailed 18-21, 21-13, 21-12

Kidambi Srikanth in fact beat Viktor Axelsen in the final to win the India Open title in 2015.

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