NAGPUR: In a bid to put her best foot forward against the Indian ace, Malvika Bansod had a nervous start and gave away quick points as the two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu emerged champion in the Syed Modi International tournament in Lucknow for her first title since the 2019 world championship triumph, on Sunday.
After taking a 7-0 lead in the first three minutes of the women’s singles final, top seed Sindhu defeated world No. 84 Malvika 21-13, 21-16 in 35 minutes at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium.
While Malvika’s silver medal on her debut in the World Tour Super 300 badminton tournament is the most cherished trophy the 20-year-old has won in her career so far, she will come home earning the respect of opponents and a boost to her confidence.
The left-handed city shuttler acknowledged the same. “It was a great learning experience for me. Usually, you don’t get to face tough opponents. I was lucky to get good matches against quality players and learnt a lot from these tournaments. I need to work on my strength and my overall game. The tournament was good for me, but the final could have been better,” Malvika told TOI.
Malvika, who has been supported by Vishvaraj group since 2019, was elated to stand on the podium with the best in the business. “It feels great to stand on the podium with a player like Sindhu,” said Malvika.
On her show in the final, Malvika added, “There was no pressure on me. I just wanted to give my best but had a nervous start. I wanted to involve her in long rallies and avoid giving away quick points, but that didn’t happen.”
Happy with her second title in the Lucknow event, Sindhu said, “Overall, it's been a good week, good matches, so I am happy with the win.”
The Olympic star praised Malvika for her spirited show. "Each match was important because even though I was playing against Indians, I could see talented youngsters in the mix. Bansod is an upcoming player and she had strong quarterfinals and semifinals. She played well and there were some good rallies," Sindhu said after the match.
Malvika's guide and chief junior national coach Sanjay Mishra said, “Her show in the final was alright. She could have fought more today. Had she played at her 100%, there could have been a better fight. She was overawed by the pressure of facing Sindhu, initially. When Malvika overcame that pressure, she played freely and did well but by that time it was a bit late. She failed to implement some things in the final.”
Taking positives from the final, Mishra said, “Malvika will gain more confidence, will be motivated and will gain some mental strength too. The benefit we got from this match is that now we know where Malvika needs to improve. We will work on how to increase her power and bring more speed in the game.”
The experienced coach from Raipur had a word of caution too. Mishra said, “From now, Malvika will be under pressure to perform and to maintain her consistency. She needs to be tough.”
Sindhu used her vast experience and skills to great effect as Malvika found it difficult to adjust. After being down 0-7 Malvika won her first point with a drop shot close to the net while Sindhu used her height and reach to great effect to increase her lead to 11-1 at the break.
Malvika tried to up her game and collected a few points but it was no match for a much superior Sindhu, who closed out the first game with ease.
The second game produced a better contest with Malvika lifting her game. Sindhu used her height to mix smashes with pinpoint drop shots, which Malvika failed to counter as the Olympic star raced to a 11-4 lead at the break.
Malvika tried her best to fight back by winning four consecutive points twice and reduced the margin 12-17 but lacked the temperament and class as Sindhu raced to a facile triumph.
