Nagpur's Malvika Bansod defeated Indian ace shuttler Saina Nehwal on Thursday (January 13) with a score of f21-17, 21-9 in approximately 34 minutes in Round 2 of the India Open. Nehwal was sweeping 5-7 in the first game, and Malvika worked on the advantage leading to the win in the first game with 21-17. Bansod won the match in 34-35 minutes, continuing with her built momentum.
With this win, 20-year-old Malvika Bansod became the second Indian badminton player to beat Saina Nehwal on the court after PV Sindhu, who had defeated Nehwal earlier, as reported by The Bridge.
The Badminton Association of India tweeted Bansod's post-match reaction.
"This was my first meeting with Saina, and I won the match against her, so it is a great experience. She has always been my idol as a kid, so it was a dream come true to play against her at such a big event in India, in Delhi. This win has given me confidence for further rounds," she said.
Saina Nehwal has been dealing with injuries since her knee surgery post the Rio Olympics 2016. Moreover, her medical report card shows that she had a cartilage tear. Malvika proved to be strong in playing against Nehwal in the ongoing Indian Open 2022 held in New Delhi, as reported by NDTV and News18.
Malvika Bansod has won international titles such as the Maldives International Future Series Badminton Tournament and the Annapurna Post International Series, Nepal, in 2019.
Other Match Results
PV Sindhu managed to enter the next round of the competition by beating Ira Shara 21-10, 21-10. Sindhu finished the first game within 13 minutes and maintained her momentum to win the match within 30 minutes.
Ashmita registered a good win against French Yaelle Hoyaux 21-17, 21-14 in 30 minutes.
Withdraw Of Players Owing To Covid Positive Test Results
Seven players were withdrawn from the India Open 2022 after they tested positive for Covid-19, as confirmed by Badminton World Federation (BWF). These seven players were—Kidambi Srikanth, Ashwini Ponnappa, Ritika Rahul Thakar, Treesa Jolly, Mithun Manjunath, Simran Aman Singhi and Khushi Gupta.
Also Read: Assam CM Alleges Punjab Security Breach As 'Conspiracy' To Assassinate PM