Malvika Bansod in action© Badminton Photo
Rising Indian shuttler Malvika Bansod’s impressive run at the Hylo Open Super 300 ended with a second-place finish, as she lost to Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt 10-21, 15-21 in the final on Sunday.
The 23-year-old left-hander, who scored notable victories en route to her first Super 300 final, including a win over fourth seed Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam, struggled to keep pace with Blichfeldt, conceding the match in 43 minutes.
In the opening match, Blichfeldt capitalized on Malvika’s errors, reeling off eight straight points to take a 17-10 lead, ultimately closing out the match with ease.
Malvika fought back in the second game, even leading 11-8. However, Blichfeldt’s powerful crosscourt smashes allowed him to tie the game at 12, then capture five straight points to secure the title.
This is Malvika’s second appearance in a major final, having previously reached the title round of the 2022 Syed Modi India International, where she was beaten by double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu.
In September, Malvika made headlines by defeating Paris Olympics bronze medalist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the first round of the China Open Super 100 before her quarter-final elimination. PTI FAUCET KHS
Topics mentioned in this article
