IMAGE: India’s P V Sindhu celebrates after victory over Malvika Bansod in the women’s singles final at the Syed Modi International badminton tournament, in Lucknow, on Sunday. Photograph: BAI Media/Twitter
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu eased past young compatriot Malvika Bansod to win her second women’s singles title at the Syed Modi International badminton tournament, in Lucknow, on Sunday.
Playing in a depleted field due to multiple COVID-19 cases, the top seeded Sindhu hardly broke a sweat while getting past Bansod 21-13, 21-16 in just 35 minutes.
It was the former World champion’s second Syed Modi title, having annexed the BWF World Tour Super 300 tournament in 2017.
Before that, seventh seeded Indians Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto clinched the mixed doubles title with a straight-games’ win over compatriots T Hema Nagendra Babu and Srivedya Gurazada.
Bhatnagar and Crasto inflicted a 21-16, 21-12 defeat on the unseeded Indian duo in the summit clash that ended in 29 minutes.
Earlier, the men’s singles final between Arnaud Merkle and Lucas Claerbout was declared a ‘No Match’ after one of the finalists tested positive for COVID-19.
It was expected to be a one-sided women’s singles match between world number seven Sindhu and young Bansod, ranked 84th, and it turned out to be exactly that.
IMAGE: Seventh seeds Tanisha Crasto and Ishaan Bhatnagar are all smiles after winning the mixed doubles title. Photograph: BAI Media/Twitter
Sindhu used her vast experience and skills to great effect as Bansod found it extremely difficult to adjust to her opponent’s game from the onset.
The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist took off from the word go and raced to a 7-0 lead in no time. She used her height and reach to great effect to increase her lead to 11-1 at the break.
After the break, Bansod tried to up her game and collected a few points to close the gap but it was no match for a much superior Sindhu, who closed out the first game with consummate ease.
The second game, however, produced a better contest with Bansod trying her best to lift her game, and she did that too, but it was not enough to challenge Sindhu’s class.
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 continued in the same vein even though Bansod tried her best to forge a comeback and secured four points on the trot to reduce the deficit to 17-12.
Bansod managed to pick up four more points but lacked the temperament and class as Sindhu closed out the contest without any fuss.
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