Kidambi Srikanth had one of his most impressive performances in the 2026 season, defeating World No. 9 Victor Lai to earn a place in the quarter-finals of the China Masters. The former world No. 1 won straight games in the round of 16 21-18, 21-19 in a 43 minute match.
Srikanth was particularly pleased with the outcome and his first quarter-final for a long time in a BWF World Tour Super 750 or higher-level event of his career, a big deal for him as it was a first quarter-final in a Super 750 or higher level event but it was also a crucial one from the start for Srikanth. The 33-year-old had last reached an all-around quarter-finals at an event of this level or higher at the 2023 Indonesia Open, a Super 1000 tournament, which was the World Tour's first event of this level of the tournament. So this is a career stepping stone for him in his return to the top tier of international men’s singles badminton at which he is making his way up into international men’s singles badminton for the first time.
Srikanth entered the China Masters in a very tough contest with Lai who was in fantastic form at the time. The Hong Kong player had recently won a bronze at the BWF World Championships and had also won bronze at the last edition of the global tournament. His performances on the biggest stage gave him the toughest opponent left in the draw.
Srikanth remained composed in the round of 16 contest despite Lai's recent success. He continued to keep the lead in both games and the match ended in straight games. The second-game margin was still close and Srikanth held his nerve in the final.
The upset is even more significant as Lai had already defeated India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player Lakshya Sen earlier in the tournament. Lai beat Sen 21-19, 21-11 in the second round, so Srikanth’s victory became even more significant from a badminton perspective.
Srikanth’s performance is another sign that he remains a player capable of challenging the world’s best. His ranking has gone down from the heights he reached earlier in his career, but his experience and ability to perform on big stages still make him a dangerous opponent.
Srikanth is ranked 34th in the world, behind Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty among Indian men's singles players. In the BWF World Tour season-based rankings, he is 26th. His best performance in 2026 before the China Masters was at the US Open, when he reached the final of the Super 300 tournament and was runner-up.
The China Masters quarter-final now gives Srikanth another chance to gain momentum during the season. He will meet unseeded Hong Kong player Lee Chiauk Yiu in the last-eight stage on Friday, September 4. A win will earn Srikanth a place in the semi-finals and further show his revival on the international scene.
Srikanth is the only Indian men’s singles player to have reached the world No. 1 ranking under the modern BWF ranking system. It has been one of the most important moments in his career and made him the best player of his generation.
OH YES, KIDAMBI UPSET WORLD NO.9 🤯 🤩
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) September 3, 2026
India's Kidambi Srikanth stuns World No. 9 Victor Lai 🇨🇦 in straight sets 21-18 21-19
Storms into the Quarterfinal of China Masters (S750)
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/848upvStfW https://t.co/qxC9Bpmao2
He is also the only Indian men's singles badminton player to make it to the final of the World Championships and won a silver medal in 2021. That achievement remains one of the best performances by an Indian male shuttler at the World Championships to date.
His career also includes some of sport’s greatest wins and a long stint among the world’s elite. But injuries, form fluctuations, and a new generation of Indian players have made his career more difficult.
The China Masters performance could now give Srikanth more confidence. Defeating a top-10 opponent in straight games at a Super 750 tournament is a huge achievement for him, especially at this stage of his career when younger Indian players are competing strongly for places at the top of the rankings.
Srikanth will look to continue his excellent run in Shenzhen in the quarter-final against Lee Chiauk Yiu. And regardless of how far he goes, his victory over Lai has already ended a 1175-day wait and given Indian badminton fans another reason to believe that the former world No. 1 can still produce major results on the international stage.
