PV Sindhu won her first title of the year as she defeated compatriot Malvika Bansod in the women’s singles final at Syed Modi International Championships on Sunday. Sindhu was the heavy favourite coming into the final and unsurprisingly, she registered an easy 21-13, 21-16 win to take the title in just 35 minutes.
There was never a point in the match when Sindhu was down by even a single point. In the first game, Sindhu ran off to a 7-0 lead and at the break, she led 11-1. She had no competition from Malvika at all even though she tried to stitch together three to four points in a row on a couple of occasions. With absolute ease and no fuss whatsoever, Sindhu took the first game 21-13.
The second game began with a tad bit more competitiveness but leading 5-3, Sindhu won four straight points to increase the lead to 9-3, Sindhu used her height to mix her smashes with pinpoint drop shots, which Bansod failed to counter as the Olympic medallist raced to a 11-4 lead at the break.
Sindhu hit hard after the break and soon took a 17-8 lead. Malvika fought back a little with four straight points to make it 17-12. However, it didn’t take Sindhu much time to wrap up the match after that.
“Overall, it’s been a good week, good matches, so I am happy with the win,” Sindhu said.
The Olympic star lauded India’s bench strength and Bansod for her spirited show in the tournament.
“In the whole week each match was important because even though I was playing with Indians I could see good talented youngsters who are coming up and are really doing well,” Sindhu said.
“It was good she (Bansod) is an upcoming player and she is doing really well. She had some good matches in quarterfinals and semifinals. She played well and there were some good rallies.”
Sindhu described her win over Supanida Katethong in the quarterfinals here as a “sweet revenge” over her Thai rival, who ousted her in the Indian Open semifinals last week.
“I think it was a sweet revenge. In India Open I lost to Supanida and here I won against her in the quarterfinals.”
Sindhu said she is at happy space with her game and is looking forward to win more laurels for the country in future.
“My game is perfectly alright. Last week in the Indian Open it wasn’t my day and I think it happens.
“That day matters who plays well and gives their best comes out winner. But I played with her (Supanida) again here and it was sweet revenge that I won against her this time. So I am happy with my form.”
“Every medal means a lot to me because there are a lot of memories with these and I am sure and hope I will get many more medals looking forward,” Sindhu concluded.
Meanwhile, the men’s singles final at the event was declared a ‘no-match’ as one of the finalists tested positive for Covid-19 and since both the finalists were from France, the other was declared a close contact.
Earlier in the day, seventh seed Ishan Bhatnagar-Tanisha Crasto beat compatriots T. Hema Nagendra Babu-Srivedya Gurazada comprehensively 21-16, 21-12 in 29 minutes to take the mixed doubles crown.
The women’s doubles final features eighth seed Malaysian pair of Anna Ching Yik Cheong and Teoh Mei Xing against India’s seventh seed Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Pullela Gopichand.
In the last match of the day, sixth seed Krishna Prasad Garaga-Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala will take on eighth seed Malaysian pair of Man Wei Chong and Kai Wun Tee.
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