Indian badminton star Kidambi Srikanth charged into the finals of the Malaysia Masters 2025 after a six-year wait to play in a BWF World Tour final. The 31-year-old outplayed Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto 21-18, 21-15 in a one-way semifinal outing on Saturday.
This extraordinary feat brings to a close a long dry spell for Srikanth, who previously made a final appearance in 2019. His return to his best is being described as a big comeback in Indian badminton, particularly following a series of injury hitches and patchy form over the last couple of years.
Srikanth showed composure and sharp court control throughout the match, using his trademark smashes and quick net play to dismantle Nishimoto’s defence. Speaking after the win, he said, “It feels great to be back in a final after such a long time. I’ve worked hard, stayed patient, and this result means a lot to me.”
The ex-World No. 1 had a difficult draw in the event but delivered sensational wins against seeded players, such as Denmark’s Anders Antonsen during the quarterfinals. His semifinal appearance is a big morale booster ahead of the Paris Olympics, for which he is yet to be ruled out based on ranking realignments.
Srikanth’s comeback arrives when India is searching for consistent men’s singles performers. With Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy fighting for fitness and form, Srikanth’s final appearance in a final brings hope to Indian fans once again.
National coach Pullella Gopichand praised Srikanth’s performance, terming it a “well-deserved outcome after years of grit.” He also said, “Srikanth has displayed flashes of brilliance in recent tournaments, and this final showing could be the beginning of a robust second phase in his career.”
Srikanth will take on either China’s Weng Hongyang or Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in Sunday’s final. Whether he wins or not, this milestone is already a turning point in the veteran shuttler’s resurrection of his career.
As Srikanth takes to the court for the final, fans around the country will be glued to their screens, hoping that he can finish off his heartwarming run in Malaysia by claiming a much-awaited title.
