Kidambi Srikanth’s China Masters Run Ends in Quarterfinals Against Lee Cheuk Yiu

Kidambi Srikanth’s impressive run at the China Masters 2026 came to an end in the quarterfinals on Friday as the former World No. 1 went down in straight games to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.

Srikanth lost 16-21, 16-21 at the Shenzhen Arena, bringing an end to his campaign at the BWF Super 750 tournament. While the Indian would have been disappointed not to go further after his sensational upset of World No. 9 Victor Lai, the week nevertheless represented an encouraging step in his recent resurgence.

The quarterfinal appearance was Srikanth’s first at a BWF World Tour Super 750 event or higher in three years, making his run in Shenzhen particularly significant.

However, Lee proved to be a familiar and difficult obstacle once again.

The defeat extended Lee Cheuk Yiu’s advantage in their head-to-head rivalry. It was the Hong Kong shuttler’s fourth consecutive victory over Srikanth, with the Indian’s only win against him coming in the opening round of the 2018 India Open.

Their latest meeting followed a familiar pattern, with Lee generally controlling the tempo and preventing the match from developing into extended rallies. Srikanth made a bright start to the opening game, picking up the first couple of points, but Lee quickly settled and began establishing his advantage.

The Hong Kong player maintained control for most of the game and eventually closed it out 21-16. Srikanth did manage to find some rhythm during the latter stages, producing stretches where he was able to dictate exchanges, but Lee remained largely comfortable and did enough to protect his lead.

The first game also highlighted the nature of the contest. There were relatively few long rallies, with Lee able to keep points short and prevent Srikanth from building sustained pressure.

Srikanth fights back before Lee shuts the door

The second game offered more encouragement for the Indian. Srikanth raced to a 4-0 lead, creating an opportunity to put Lee under early pressure and force a change in momentum. But the advantage disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived.

The Indian made four consecutive unforced errors, allowing Lee to recover and move back into the contest. Still, Srikanth refused to let the match drift away. The most promising passage came when the Indian produced a couple of sensational points to move ahead 15-14. At that stage, there was a genuine possibility of Srikanth forcing the match into a decider. Lee, however, remained composed.

He regained control at the crucial stage and closed out the second game 21-16 to complete a straight-games victory. For Srikanth, the inability to convert those momentum-changing moments proved costly.

Despite the defeat, Srikanth’s China Masters campaign should be viewed in the context of his recent struggles and the level of the tournament. He arrived in Shenzhen having not reached a Super 750-or-higher quarterfinal in three years. To change that record, he first had to negotiate a tricky opening-round opponent and then produce one of the biggest results of the tournament.

Srikanth began his campaign with a convincing 21-16, 21-15 victory over Chinese Taipei’s World No. 21 Chi Yu-jen, completing the match in just 35 minutes.

Then came the headline result. The former World No. 1 stunned World No. 9 Victor Lai in straight games to book his place in the quarterfinals. That victory demonstrated that Srikanth still possesses the quality to defeat highly ranked opponents on the biggest BWF World Tour stages. The quarterfinal against Lee ultimately exposed areas that will need improvement, but reaching the last eight of a Super 750 event is nevertheless a valuable result.

Asian Games now the next target

Srikanth’s attention will now turn towards the Asian Games, where he is expected to be part of India’s campaign in the team event. That makes the China Masters experience particularly useful. The tournament has given the experienced Indian valuable matches against players ranked inside the world's top 25 and top 10, while also providing a chance to test his game under the pressure of a high-level knockout draw.

The challenge now will be to turn the positive elements of his China Masters run into consistency. Against Victor Lai, Srikanth showed the ability to produce his best badminton against a world-class opponent. Against Lee, he struggled to maintain that same level when the match entered crucial phases.

The four consecutive defeats to Lee Cheuk Yiu will also be something Srikanth and his team can analyse ahead of the Asian Games.

Srikanth will leave the China Masters without a semifinal place, but his campaign was far from insignificant. A straight-games quarterfinal defeat is not the result he would have wanted, particularly after creating opportunities in the second game. Yet the broader picture is more encouraging.

He defeated a World No. 21 opponent in the opening round, stunned a World No. 9 player in the second round and reached the quarterfinals of a Super 750 event for the first time in three years. Now comes the next challenge.

With the Asian Games team event on the horizon, Srikanth will have little time to dwell on the loss. The China Masters has provided both confidence and lessons.

For a former World No. 1 still searching for his best level, the quarterfinal exit may not be the ending he wanted.

But it could yet prove to be an important step towards a much bigger target.