Hyderabad: The country’s top shuttler Saina Nehwal on Sunday ended a 15-month long lean period in style by defeating P.V. Sindhu in straight games 21-14, 21-17 for the Syed Modi Memorial Indian Grand Prix Gold championship in Lucknow.
Saina, who had won a remarkable three-game victory against China’s Xuan Deng in the semifinals on Saturday, staved off a challenge from her younger challenger in a match that lasted 40 minutes.
“The way I pulled off yesterday’s match against Deng gave me the confidence I needed to play well in the final,” Saina told this newspaper after her victory.
In the first game, Saina built up a a healthy lead before Sindhu, the 2013 World Championships bronze medallist, caught up with her. But Sindhu committed errors towards the end to let Saina run away to 19-13 and then, clinch the game.
In the second game, Sindhu took a 4-0 lead. But Saina soon reversed the flow and then dictated terms. With the score on 19-13, Sindhu caught up with three quick points but the Olympic bronze medallist prevailed to win the game and win her first title on over 15 months.
This also was Saina’s third straight win over Sindhu. She had earlier defeated the latter at the inaugural Indian Badminton League last year. However, Saina brushed off suggestions that those victories gave her any edge going into the final.
“Every match is different,” she said, adding: “And every player who has lost to you in the past will work that much harder to defeat you.
“At this level, you can’t really count on psychological edges because everyone is constantly improving themselves,” said Saina, who, over the next five weeks, will prepare for the All England badminton championships and the Swiss Open Grand Prix.
