Lucknow: Giant-killer Sourabh Varma had to be content with a runner-up finish at the Syed Modi Memorial India Open Grand Prix Gold event, as he lost a fiercely-fought final to former World and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat, here on Sunday.
The unseeded Indian was locked in an intense battle which he lost 15-21, 18-21 in 46 minutes.
Ranked 72 in the world, Sourabh was in his debut season on the senior international circuit.
Sourabh, who beat three higher-ranked players - Tommy Sugiarto, Yun Hu and Suppanyu Avihingsanon - en route to the final, had opened up a 8-2 lead but Hidayat scored six points in a row to draw parity and moved neck and neck till 13-13.
Sourabh fought hard and led 16-15 before the Indonesian reeled off five points on the trot to pocket the first game.
The second game again was a close affair with the score at 17-17 at one stage, but Hidayat surged ahead by moving to 20-18 before going on to settle the issue in his favour.
Sourabh, who won the Bahrain International Challenge this year, had also reached the quarterfinals of TATA Open India International Challenge, Thailand Grand Prix Gold and the Indian Open Super series tournament.
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