CITY shuttlers Malvika Bansod and Ritika Thaker made it to the second round of the Syed Modi International, that began at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. Both players got walk-overs as their opponents tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus. Malvika’s first round rival was compatriot Assam’s Ashmita Chaliha. It turned out to be a day of mixed emotions for doubles player Ritika as she and her partner Simran Singhi got walk-over in women’s doubles first round. One of their opponents from the Indian pair of Deeksha Choudhary and Yashica Jakhar, was detected positive. However, since Ritika’s partner in mixed doubles Bokka Navaneeth’s male partner in the men’s doubles event also tested positive, Bokka had to withdraw.

 

 

 

That means Ritika-Bokka had to concede their mixed doubles match to the Sri Lanka pair of Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa. While Malvika is scheduled to take on the winner of match between Prerana Neeluri and Ruthvika Shivani in the women’s singles, Ritika-Simran plays winners of Mahek Nayak-Soumya Singh and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand pair. Nagpur’s third player in the competition, Mugdha Agrey could not quell the challenge of Aakarshi Kashyap and went down 13-21, 14-21 in a match that lasted 39 minutes. In the first game, Mugdha was matching Aakarshi, who had defeated Malvika in the quarter-finals in the recently concluded India Open. After the players were locked at 8-8, Aakarshi upped the ante. In the later part of the first game, Aakarshi took five points in a row to reach the game point stage.

 

Mugdha fought brilliantly to save two match points but it was too little and too late. In the second game, Mugdha pulled up her socks and started well. In fact, she was leading by a slender margin of one point at 5-4 and 6-5 but the better ranked player once again won points in a heap to leapfrog Mugdha. Taking four consecutive points, Aakarshi pocketed the second game and with it the match. This was the second tournament in succession that Mugdha was ousted in the first round. 

 

Malvika jumps 27 points in international rankings HER stunning win over Olympic medal winner Saina Nehwal in the India Open that concluded recently, Malvika Bansod has jumped 27 points from 111 to break into the top hundred. Malvika, who made it to the quarters at the event, is now ranked 84th in the world. If she does well at the Modi International in progress in Lucknow, she can still better her rankings. Mugdha also broke into top hundred gaining five rungs. From 101, she is now 96th in the world.