INDIA GPG 2015 Finals – Saina scrapes through

Saina Nehwal came back from the precipice to beat the World Champion and retain her title at the Syed Modi International Badminton Championships Grand Prix Gold.  Parupalli Kashyap and Malaysia’s Anscelly/Soong provided the day’s only upsets.

By Don Hearn.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)

Saina Nehwal (pictured) may have come into Sunday’s final as the home favourite, the defending champion – she was even undefeated against her opponent – but then again, she was up against the World Champion.  As should be expected, Nehwal did not have it easy against Spain’s Carolina Marin but she still was in command when it counted.

Marin took the opener on the strength of a 5-point run late in the game.  The two ladies were neck-and-neck in the second, though, but despite having two match point opportunities, Marin let it slip away and Nehwal was able to take it 25-23 and force a deciding game, which she them dominated.  The result repeats the outcome of their last meeting in a final, at last summer’s Australian Open.

Parupalli Kashyap (pictured above) went back to the top of the podium for the first time since his Commonwealth Games gold medal last summer.  He won both games after allowing compatriot Kidambi Srikanth to reach game point first.

The other reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallists who were in action on Sunday in Lucknow were the victims of a much bigger upset.  This most surprising result of the afternoon came in the very first match. Amelia Alicia Anscelly / Soong Fie Cho (pictured left) made the most of their first ever Grand Prix Gold final by beating their compatriots Hoo/Woon in straight games.  The world #32 pair’s previous best result was a runner-up finish at the 2013 Vietnam Open Grand Prix.

Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen again reasserted their supremacy over Vladimir Ivanov / Ivan Sozonov, the pair that had beaten the Danes at the European Championships last year.  The last match of the day was the most decisive, as top seeds Riky Widianto / Puspita Richi Dili (pictured bottom) finally put an end to the dream run by India’s Manu Attri / K. Maneesha.  The Indians kept the score respectable but the world #9 Indonesians were never really in trouble.

Final results
WD: Amelia Alicia Anscelly / Soong Fie Cho (MAS) [4] Vivian Hoo / Woon Khe Wei (MAS) [1]   22-20, 21-15
WS: Saina Nehwal (IND) [1] beat Carolina Marin (ESP) [2]  19-21, 25-23, 21-16
MD: Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen (DEN) [1] beat Vladimir Ivanov / Ivan Sozonov (RUS) [4]  21-9, 22-20
MS: Parupalli Kashyap (IND) [3] beat K. Srikanth (IND) [1]   23-21, 23-21
XD: Riky Widianto / Puspita Richi Dili (INA) [1] beat Manu Attri / K. Maneesha (IND) 21-17, 21-17

Click here for complete results