The 33-year-old, facing an opponent who is nine years younger to him, pushed himself to find that winning momentum but could not avoid a 21-15, 16-21, 21-9 loss in an hour and nine minutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I just feel like whatever I\u2019ve been doing is working. I just have to keep working hard. I feel I\u2019m there, but it\u2019s about winning those crucial points. He (Su Li Yang) has been playing really well over the last few months. It\u2019s a day when he played exceptionally well during the points that mattered,\" said Srikanth, who have not won a BWF Tour title since his 2017 French Open win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Srikanth and Su Li-yang have met twice previously, with both players winning one match each. Prior to the US Open final, their most recent encounter came in the round of 16 at the Thailand Open in May, where Su Li-yang prevailed in three games. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
It was Su who got off the blocks fast in the opening game as he took a 10-5 lead. Srikanth levelled the scores at 10-10 before the Taipei shuttler won seven consecutive points to runaway with the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Srikanth kept pace with Su in the second game for the first half and then changed the tempo to move from 15-13 to 20-13 before converting his fourth game point. However, the effort did take a toll on Srikanth\u2019s tired legs. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though he stayed neck-and-neck with Su till 9-7, the 24-year-old then took eight straight points to seal the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Srikanth kept pace with Su in the second game for the first half and then changed the tempo to move from 15-13 to 20-13 before converting his fourth game point. However, the effort did take a toll on Srikanth\u2019s tired legs. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
En route to the final, Srikanth produced the tournament's ultimate act of sportsmanship during a tense semifinal moment; when officials refused to correct a wrong call despite heavy protests, he walked up to the referee to concede, handing the point back to Japan\u2019s Okimoto.<\/p>\r\n\r\n