Sindhu wins Syed Modi International title

India’s P. V. Sindhu cruised past Malvika Bansod to clinch the Syed Modi International badminton championships in Lucknow on Sunday.

Playing in a depleted field due to multiple COVID-19 cases, top seed Sindhu hardly broke any sweat in a 21-13 21-16 win. The final lasted just 35 minutes.

It was former world champion Sindhu’s second Syed Modi title after having won the BWF World Tour Super 300 event in 2017.

Sindhu was aggressive from the get-go and raced to a 7-0 lead in no time. She used her height and reach to increase the lead to 11-1 at the break.

After the break, Bansod narrowed the gap briefly, but Sindhu closed out the first game with consummate ease. In the second game, Sindhu used her height to mix her smashes with pinpoint drop shots, which Bansod failed to counter as the Olympic medallist raced to an 11-4 lead at the break.

Bansod secured four points on the trot to reduce the deficit to 17-12. She managed to add four more to her tally but couldn’t prevent Sindhu from getting over the line.

Men’s final declared ‘No match’ as finalist contracts Covid

The men’s singles final at Syed Modi India International 2022 has been declared ‘No match’, Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced. BWF said the decision was taken after a finalist tested COVID-19 positive. The other finalist was deemed a close contact and has also been withdrawn. The final was to take place today between French players Arnaud Merklé and Lucas Claerbout.