India’s Kiran George was defeated by top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the men’s singles semifinals of the Korea Masters badminton tournament on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Indian shuttler lost in straight games, 12-21, 20-22, in a match that lasted 53 minutes.
Earlier, George, ranked World No. 44, pulled off an impressive victory over fifth-seeded Takuma Obayashi of Japan in the quarterfinals. George triumphed 21-14, 21-16, securing a spot in the semifinals with a dominant performance.
The semifinal loss brought an end to India’s campaign in the tournament. George kept it tight in the opening game, staying level at 5-5 before Kunlavut pulled ahead to 11-6 at the break.
The Thai shuttler extended his lead further, moving to 17-8 after the interval, and quickly sealed the first game.
In the second game, Kunlavut surged to a 13-4 lead, but Kiran mounted a sensational fightback, levelling the score at 20-20.
However, it was Kunlavut who held his nerves to win the final two points and close out the match.
(With inputs from PTI)
