Syed Modi International: Sindhu, Lakshya, Treesa-Gayatri pair end India’s 2024 title drought
Syed Modi International: Sindhu, Lakshya, Treesa-Gayatri pair end India’s 2024 title drought
The title drought for Indian shuttlers this year finally ended with the home favourites winning three of the five on offer on the final day of the Syed Modi India International Super 300 tournament on Sunday.
While PV Sindhu beat China’s Luo Yu Wu 21-14, 21-16 to join compatriot Saina Nehwal as a three-time winner at the Babu Banarasi Das Academy courts, Lakshya Sen won his maiden title in the event with a facile 21-6, 21-7 win against Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh. But the stars of the day were undoubtedly Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, becoming the first ever Indian women’s pair to win the title since its inception in 2009, defeating Li Jing Bao/Li Qian 21-18, 21-11.
It’s been a disappointing year for Indian badminton with Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy being the only ones to win anything in 2024 before this. Sunday, therefore, was perhaps the best thing to happen to the sport ahead of 2025. And when the first two events on Sunday – the mixed and men’s doubles – went against the Indian pairs in hour-long matches, it looked ominous.
That was before Treesa-Gayatri came on. A tense first game saw the pairs exchanging lead every few points and it could have gone either way before the Indians kept their nerves to pull off a 21-18 win. It was very different in Game 2 as they capitalised on the opponents’ errors, displayed excellent attacking and defensive skills and kept widening the lead to wrap up in quick time. Up next for the two 21-year olds will be the World Finals, the only Indians at the year-end competition.
Sindhu, having improved with every outing, was clearly the more confident one on court. The first game was easy with the former World Champion always ahead. Wu tried to fight back but Sindhu, with her drops and reach, barely gave her space.
The 2nd game was more of the same and with Wu visibly getting tired with all the running around there was little the Chinese shuttler could do to counter Sindhu’s smashes and stay in the long rallies. She did edge ahead at 11-10 but was unable to sustain in the face of intense pressure.
Lakshya, meanwhile, continued the way he has been all through the week, running through opponents in a hurry. The first game against Teh was over in just 12 minutes, even before the crowd could settle. It took 19 minutes for the second as Sen, without breaking a sweat, made Teh a helpless spectator.
