Badminton champ Kidambi Srikanth enters Australian Open finals

Kidambi Srikanth grabbed a third successive Super Series final spot at the Australian Open with a straight-game victory over China's Shi Yuqi today.

Srikanth, who had reached the summit clash in Singapore and Indonesia, joined Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, the Chinese duo of Chen Long and Lin Dan to become only the fifth player in the world to contest three successive Super Series finals.

A former World No.3, Srikanth, who had reached the semifinals in the last edition, produced yet another near- perfect performance to outclass All England finalist Shi 21-10 21-14 in a 37-minute match to notch up his second win over the Chinese.

Srikanth had beaten him at the quarters of the Singapore Open in April. "It's a dream performance," said Srikanth, who had suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle after the Olympics. "I played a World Super Series final (Singapore Open) after two years, and then to play the next two finals is a dream for sure." "I was in control of the whole match, I didn't give him any easy points at the start.

Srikanth will play either reigning Olympic champion and two-time World champion and All England champion Chen Long or Korea's Lee Hyun II in the finals. "I have no thoughts about the final, no thoughts about winning or losing. (If it is Chen Long) I've played him four or five times. Most times it was close. I played him twice this year, I lost 21-19 or so," he said.