Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth advanced to his first final of 2026 after defeating Japan’s fourth seed Yudai Okimoto 22-20, 15-21, 21-19 in a gripping US Open Badminton semifinal. The 33-year-old showcased his experience to edge a closely contested decider and book a title clash with Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang.
Meanwhile, India’s teenage qualifier Rounak Chouhan saw his impressive campaign end in the semifinals after losing to Su. Chouhan’s remarkable run included victories over Sankar Subramanian and world No. 6 Chou Tien Chen, underlining his emergence as a promising young talent.