Kuala Lumpur
PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth went down fighting in their respective semifinals to draw the curtains on India’s campaign at the $700,000 Malaysia Open.

First, Srikanth failed to match the overall superior game of former world No. 2 Japanese Kento Momota. Sindhu met the same fate against defending champion and world No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying, who showed better technical acumen and physical ability.

Srikanth lost 13-21 13-21 to world No. 11 Momota, who registered his 21st consecutive win, while Sindhu’s fight ended with a 15-21 21-19 11-21 loss to Chinese Taipei’s Tai in a 55-minute match.

It was Srikanth’s sixth defeat to Momota in nine meetings, while Sindhu has now lost nine times to Tai Tzu, this being her fifth successive defeat.

Sindhu and Tai moved together initially before Tai opened up a 9-6 lead. Sindhu reduced the deficit but Tai led 11-9 when she punched one precisely at the backline. Tai played quick drops, smashes and also tried out some ambitious strokes to move to game point at 20-15. Another error from Sindhu and the opening game was over.

After the change of sides, Tai drew parity at 9-9 before leading 11-10 at the break. Sindhu then led 18-16 with four straight points. However, Tai erased the deficit and moved to a minor 19-18 lead when Sindhu went long. The Indian grabbed a game point when Tai went wide. Tai repeated the error and Sindhu had bounced back into the contest.

In the decider, the duo split the first eight points. But the Chinese Taipei shuttler marched ahead to 10-6, playing some perfectly-timed shots at the backline to race to a 16-8 advantage. Two weak returns from Sindhu ensured Tai reached her fourth final at the Malaysia Open.