Verma, Pusarla Emerge Champions – Syed Modi International Championships: Review

Verma, Pusarla Emerge Champions – Syed Modi International Championships: Review

India’s Sameer Verma and Pusarla V Sindhu claimed the singles titles at the Syed Modi International Badminton Championships 2017, the season’s second Grand Prix Gold event.

3day_pv-sindhuIndia finished with three titles as Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy won the Mixed Doubles; Denmark picked up the other two doubles titles through Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (Men’s Doubles) and Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Women’s Doubles).

Sameer Verma, finalist at the Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open last November, prevailed over compatriot Sai Praneeth in 44 minutes in the Men’s Singles final: 21-19 21-16.

Verma had earlier made his way past Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 21-18 21-13 in the quarter-finals and compatriot Harsheel Dani in the semi-finals. Third seed Kidambi Srikanth was upset in the other semi-final by compatriot Sai Praneeth 15-21 21-10 21-17.

Women’s Singles top seed Pusarla had little trouble in dismissing the challenge of Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska, 21-13 21-14.

Pusarla was untroubled through the week, with only Indonesia’s Fitriani Fitriani getting close to taking a game off her in their semi-final, which the Indian won 21-11 21-19.

Boe and Mogensen, having survived tough three-game matches against Tan Boon Heong (Malaysia)/Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia) in the quarter-finals and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Indonesia) in the semi-finals, found the going pretty smooth in the final. The Danes were never threatened by Chinese Taipei’s Lu Ching Yao/Yang Po Han as they prevailed 21-14 21-15.

Mathias Boe & Carsten Mogensen2

Pedersen and Rytter Juhl did not have to play a game until the semi-finals as they received two walkovers. They outclassed Malaysia’s Lim Yin Loo/Yap Cheng Wen 23-21 21-14 to enter the final, which they won comfortably over India’s Ashwini Ponnappa/Sikki Reddy 21-16 21-18.

christinna-pedersen-kamilla-rytter-juhl

The biggest surprise in Mixed Doubles was the upset of Danish top seeds Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen to India’s Sumeeth Reddy/Ashwini Ponnappa in the semi-finals. The Indians shocked the Danes 19-21 21-18 21-18; however, Reddy and Ponnappa could not continue with their winning run as they were stopped in the final by second seeds Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy 22-20 21-10.

For results, click here

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