MALVIKA Bansod, who hogged the national limelight by stunning Indian legend Saina Nehwal in the just concluded India Open, has another chance to establish herself as a force to reckon with when she begins her campaign in the Syed Modi International, that gets under way at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium, housed in BBD Uttar Pradesh Badminton Academy, Lucknow on Tuesday. Nagpur’s Malvika defeated the famed shuttler in straight games and was toast of the nation but made many unforced errors to go down in the quarter-finals of the mega tournament that was held after a gap of two years following the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020. Inside a week she has got another chance to redeem herself in yet another international event.

 

 

In the six-day tournament that ends on January 23, Malvika will play another talented Indian shuttler from Assam Ashmita Chaliha on Tuesday. Both the left-handed players have faced off many a time with Malvika emerging victor in their last encounter. Malvika is in the lower half of the draw and a first round win will put her up against the second seed Canadian Michelle Li who plays her first round against India’s Aadya Variyath. Another city player Mugdha Agrey, who had a forgettable India Open as she lost her first round match, will take on Aakarshi Kashyap, who defeated Malvika in the quarters at India Open.

 

 

 

Mugdha will have to be agile from the word go as Aakarshi looks in good form. City lass Ritika Thaker, who plays only doubles, reached the second round in women’s doubles but she and her partner Simran Singhi both tested COVID positive and were not allowed to play further. Before departing to Lucknow from New Delhi they tested negative and if their latest samples too are negative, then Ritika will play both women’s and mixed doubles (with Bokka Navaneeth).