The enigma of Kidambi Srikanth on some actually boggling days like Wednesday extends to his opponent, the irrepressible Viktor Axelsen, not realizing how he wound up beating the gifted Indian. Srikanth’s winners are as spectacular as his errors find yourself fooling around. No one— least of all him– is aware of how he works up a frenzy of some easily woven factors to go 14-5 up within the second set. And then proceeds to fritter all of it away in a pool of errors. A full half a dozen ones on the internet.
Why, you would possibly ask, does India’s most interesting internet practitioner identified for his laser internet proficiency, lose all accuracy, and spray the shuttle like a magnetic compass at Bermuda triangle? In taking place 21-14, 21-19 to Axelsen within the opening spherical of the India Open Super 750, there have been extra of the identical query that brightens and blights his mercurial profession.
One argument is Srikanth will get right into a zone the place he collects winners in a dizzying run of factors, after which after a sizeable lead is constructed, at some juncture he turns into acutely acutely aware of how nicely he’s been enjoying, after which all of it goes downhill, like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like he can’t imagine how nicely he’s been enjoying. Middling confidence ranges, confused self-assessments and brimming, overflowing expertise all add as much as these tap-outs and smash-outs. And one results in the subsequent after which many extra. Srikanth isn’t positive why inaccuracy floods his strokes on the worst, inopportune moments.
Positive begin
On Wednesday, and in contrast to most days, the 29-year-old began positively, by no means thoughts the primary set rating that noticed Axelsen lastly powering by. It began with the primary level—a pleasant, deep cross smash–that should’ve jolted Axelsen, who had arrived from scorching, humid Kuala Lumpur into this bone-chilling frigid zone that Delhi is. For no matter causes, there was a drift within the KD Jadhav Hall, however not sufficient to dictate dominance of a set.
Srikanth would hold tempo until 5-5, with much more verve in his court docket bearing than there normally tends to be. But the accuracy on the internet was lacking even then at 12-16, as he relied on acceleration of assault. It is that breakneck pace that brings him each the winners and errors, and although he dished out some fancy stroke-play at 14-19, there have been no returns on all of the artistry, as he lagged 21-14 to go a set down.
It was at 8-3 within the second – when he had hit the purple patch – that Srikanth received one of many most interesting factors. Primed on the internet, he spun the shuttle that fluttered like Gryffindor’s Golden Snitch and fell quick, wrong-footing Axelsen who barely reached it. Then got here two slashing crisp smashes as Srikanth appeared nicely on option to pushing a decider. And then identical to that, he didn’t.
Error-spree
The errors swarmed in just like the Delhi chilly pierces into bones. At 12-4 got here one of many final magical winners – he did a 360-swivel to parry off a whipped smash, after which 5 strokes later had the winner. Then gravity struck: the errors got here quick and regular. Whether it was ending nerves or Axelsen getting his act collectively won’t ever be identified, however Srikanth simply couldn’t catch a break.
An ace cross smash at 17-15 after which a internet follow-up winner at 19-18 served to present hope and kill it in fast succession. But Axelsen couldn’t imagine his luck – given how nicely his opponent had been dominating simply moments in the past.
“I still can’t believe I managed to win that match. I didn’t feel at all good in the second game, Srikanth stepped up and suddenly he locked me in. Yeah, really surprising. However, I am really happy that I managed to win in straight games. So, it’s not easy to come from a hot humid country (Malaysia) to a rather cold New Delhi. I am trying to adapt in the best way possible,” he would say.
Physically, the winner from Malaysia hadn’t fairly recovered. “Long travel, five and half hours. But now I have some more hours tomorrow, so I am trying to recover in the best way possible,” he’d say, as the gang had no compunctions cheering the house participant in opposition to him. “I am only happy to see so many badminton fans in the stands, it was a great atmosphere. Of course they support their countryman. I was just very happy to pull out the win today,” he added.
Gleaning positives
Srikanth was usually confounded with the way it had all puddled up, however took the positives. “I played well overall but couldn’t finish a few points. Even in the first game, I had few tap-outs and smash-outs. In the second game as well, at 18-19, it touched the net and went out. It was a good match, but I made too many mistakes. A lot of positives to take,” he mentioned.
Their final assembly had been a win for Srikanth. “So many things have happened (since 2019). At this point, I am in a good position, many things have gone my way since we last played in 2019. I am just proud of how I am. The Malaysia Open was a big big win for me and I am just trying to do the best I can every single day and I was really happy to win my first round today,” Axelsen added.
Srikanth is aware of he has lots of work to do. “I went in thinking I can win, you know. But I think after 14/15 in the second set, it was just about being there till the end, but I made too many mistakes and then gave him the opportunity to come back.”
He admitted the errors – an issue for a few years – ate into his possibilities to win and he hadn’t utilized himself in the long run. “I think it’s really important at the moment to cut down the errors. But again, if it’s regarding the strategy then I should sit with my coaches and think, understand what went wrong. I was really doing exceptionally well till a point in the second set. It was just about finishing the game, that’s it.”
The ‘that’s’ and the ‘it’ resulted in fritters. “I played really well till a point in the second set and gave him too many easy points after that,” he repeated.
