In a stunning start to the Japan Open Super 750, India's Kidambi Srikanth secured a straight-game victory over the world's fourth-ranked player, Lee Zii Jia. Coming off a tough loss at last week's World Championships, the former world number 1 bounced back strongly, defeating the fifth seed 22-20, 23-21 in a swift 37-minute encounter. This was a significant milestone for Srikanth, as it was his first win over the highly-rated Malaysian in four tries. Despite arriving in Osaka appearing out of form, the world number 14 showed a level of determination often missing in his close matches, fighting hard to secure the win.
Srikanth's success was built on his intuitive and precise net play, which gave him the edge over Zii Jia. He dictated the pace of the match from the very beginning, establishing a solid 15-11 lead in the first game. By leveraging his technical skill and deceptive movements at the front of the court, the 29-year-old kept his opponent under constant pressure.
The first game tightened up when Zii Jia leveled it at 20-all, taking advantage of several errors Srikanth made while judging the backline. Despite these struggles in the rear court, Srikanth relied on his creative net play to escape the pressure and eventually clinch the first game.
During the second game, Srikanth found himself trailing 13-14, but he remained composed and trusted his strengths at the net. While the 24-year-old Malaysian is known for his aggressive attack and sturdy defense, Srikanth used his tactical variety at the forecourt to neutralize Zii Jia's speed. This shift in momentum allowed the Indian player to take an 18-16 lead, bringing him within two points of victory at 20-18.
The match nearly took another dramatic turn when Zii Jia saved two match points and reached a game point of his own. However, Srikanth stayed focused and closed the gap quickly, scoring three consecutive points to finalize the victory.
It was a tough outing for Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen, who suffered an unexpected first-round exit. The 21-year-old started strong but couldn't maintain the momentum, eventually falling to Japan's Kenta Nishimoto (world no. 21) with a final score of 21-18, 14-21, 13-21.
Saina Nehwal, the London Olympics bronze medalist, also faced a difficult match against the top-seeded Akane Yamaguchi. The local favorite proved too strong, defeating Nehwal 21-9, 21-17 in a match that lasted only 30 minutes.