Photograph: Kind Courtesy Odisha Open/Twitter
Teenager Unnati Hooda became the youngest Indian to win a Super 100 tournament as she beat compatriot Smit Toshniwal in straight games to claim the women’s singles title while unseeded Kiran George emerged triumphant in men’s singles final of the $ 75,000 Odisha Open badminton tournament, in Cuttack, on Sunday.
The 21-year-old George prevailed over Priyanshu Rajawat 21-15, 14-21, 21-18 to clinch the men’s singles title after battling hard for 58 minutes.
Before that, the 14-year-old Unnati produced an excellent performance to emerge triumphant in her event. Unnati won 21-18, 21-11 to be crowned the Odisha Open champion for the first time.
In the mixed doubles final, India’s MR Arjun and Treesa Jolly suffered a 16-21, 20-22 defeat at the hands of Sri Lankan duo Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendadahewa in a match that lasted 36 minutes.
Unnati, who entered the final after she surprised Indian Open finalist Malvika Bansod 24-22, 24-22 in the last-four clash on Saturday, took 35 minutes to get the better of Toshniwal in the summit showdown of the women’s singles at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Indoor Statdium.
Toshniwal too pulled off an upset, knocking out Ashmita Chaliha, seeded five, 21-19, 10-21, 21-17, to set up the title clash with the 14-year-old Unnati.
Unnati claimed the the first game after making a comeback and riding on the momentum, she won the second game without much difficulty as Toshniwal had no answer to her opponent’s aggressive approach.
George won the opening game quite comfortably and was leading 5-3 in the initial phase of the second game, but Rajawat fought back brilliantly to take the match into the decider.
The battle was intense in the third and final game with Rajawat trying his best to not allow George have his way.
However, the 19-year-old Rajawat fell short in the end as George kept his composure to win it and have the last laugh.
George had defeated Ansal Yadav, 19-21, 21-12, 21-14, while 19-year-old Rajawat scored a 21-17, 21-14 win over Kausal D in the men’s singles semifinals.
On his way to the final, George also stunned third seed and the higher ranked Subhankar Dey in the quarterfinals.
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