Saina Nehwal beats PV Sindhu to win India’s National Badminton Championships

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Saina Nehwal defeats PV Sindhu (L) to retain the 2019 India National Badminton Championship title. (photo: BAI Media)
Saina Nehwal defeats PV Sindhu (L) to retain the 2019 India National Badminton Championship title. (photo: BAI Media)

Guwahati: Saina Nehwal who shocked PV Sindhu 21-17, 27-25 in Nagpur to win her third India national championship crown in November 2017, was able to repeat the feat by winning her fourth India national title in women’s singles once again with a 21-18, 21-15 win over PV Sindhu in Guwahati on Saturday.

PV Sindhu – the highest earning female badminton player of all-time, raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set before Nehwal got back her rhythm to level at 5-5.

The former World No. 1 Saina Nehwal has grown in confidence as the match progressed to lead 11-10 at the interval of first set. Nehwal kept adding pressure by moving Sindhu around the court and overpowering her with smashes which were either aimed at the world No 6’s body or down the line to her backhand to eventually win the first game 21-18.

The second game started in a similar fashion with Sindhu leading at 2-0 but Nehwal eventually levelled the score at 5-5 before taking a slender lead with 11-9 at the interval.

Nehwal who was playing with faster pace and better stroke play proved too much for Sindhu to handle on Saturday as she extended her lead to 19-13 and had successfully defended her title with a 21-15 win over Sindhu in the second set.

Nehwal had also defeated the 2016 Rio Games silver medalist Sindhu in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games women’s singles final last year.

In men’s singles final, Sourabh Verma took home his third consecutive Indian national title by defeating Lakshya Sen 21-18, 21-13.

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