Syed Modi GPG: Dominant Srikanth enters Syed Modi Cup final

Srikanth had lost to Ponsana in their last face-off two years back in the French Open in a three-setter. In two years, fortunes have changed very much for the two as Srikanth has climbed up while Ponsana has slipped to the 28th rank.

Srikanth gave a glimpse of things to come at the second point with a cross-court jump smash to make it 2-0. Srikanth was on the attack and Ponsana played into it giving him too much time and air to make his smashes. At one point, Srikanth was leading 16-6. Ponsana reeled off six straight points to reach 12, but the set was already decided, and the set ended tamely with Ponsana serving wide at 14-20.

The second set was a rout. Srikanth's semi-smashes seemed to find their way easily through his defence even as Ponsana's sluggish movements and lack of unforced errors let him down. After leading 12-6 at one point, Srikanth gave away just one point before closing out the set, once again off an unforced error from Ponsana. With the 21-14, 21-7 win, Srikanth entered his third consecutive Syed Modi final.

Srikanth will face Huang Yuxiang in the final tomorrow. With more than 60 ranks separating the two, Srikanth should be able to win the Cup easily – something that he failed to at the final hurdle last year against Parupalli Kashyap.

In the men's doubles, Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Chopra defeated Kim Jung and Kim Rang of Korea 25-23, 13-21, 21-17 to enter the final. The pair will face V Shem Goh and Wee Kiong Tan of Malaysia in the final.

However, in the women's doubles semifinal, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa failed to set up the third final for India as they lost to Jung Eun and Shin Chan in straight sets 14-21, 16-21.