For the Kidambi brothers it was celebration time as they won international badminton titles yesterday, a first for the country. While younger sibling Srikanth became the first Indian to win a Grand Prix Gold men's singles title outside the country by winning the Thailand Open, Nandagopal, along with partner Kiran Maneesha, claimed the mixed doubles at the Maldives International tournament.

 

The Guntur (AP) brothers became the first shuttlers from the country to achieved feat of bagging two titles at two different tournaments on the same day.Srikanth grabbed the cake by becoming the first Indian to win a Grand Prix Gold men's singles title outside the country, while Nandagopal provided the icing to the celebrations as he and Kiran Maneesha claimed the mixed doubles at the Maldives tournament. The pair defeated Koreans Dae Sung Kim and Bo Kyung Oh 21-16, 23-21 in the final.

 

Srikanth came out with all guns blazing to beat world No. 7 and local favourite Boonsak Ponsana in straight games 21-16, 21-13 to lay hands on the Thailand Grand Prix Gold trophy in Bangkok.

 

Coach Gopichand attributed Srikanth's win to "that rare belief, which means he is not afraid of walking new ground". "I have seen players falter at the last step, but Srikanth has great mental attitude," he said. Guntur-born Srikanth trains at Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad.