Hylo Open 2023: Malvika Bansod's exit in quarterfinals ends India's campaign

Published at :November 4, 2023 at 10:17 AM

Modified at :January 14, 2024 at 12:56 AM

(Courtesy : BWF TV)

She was the lone Indian to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Young Indian shuttler Malvika Bansod faced a tough defeat against Kirsty Gilmour from Scotland in her debut women’s singles quarterfinals encounter on Friday at the BWF Hylo Open 2023 in Saarbrucken, Germany. Malvika, ranked world no. 51, lost the encounter in straight games 8-21, 14-21.

In the first game of her debut quarter-final match, Malvika, the 22-year-old, looked nervous, allowing her opponent a chance to put pressure and execute precise shots. At a certain point, Malvika was losing by a score of 0-11 and struggled to mount any form of resistance. The Scottish exhibited exceptional skills and beat her opponent with an impressive score of 21-8, leaving no doubt about her dominance on the court.

During the second game, Kirsty Gilmour, continued her aggressive play and forced Malvika Bansod to make several errors. The Indian shuttler created a number of opportunities to come back into the game as she led with two points at 10-8, but Gilmour fought back and clinched victory with a score of 21-14.

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Maivika’s defeat was a disappointing one for India, but it is important to note that Gilmour is a pretty experienced opponent who has won medals at the Commonwealth and European Games earlier. She is currently ranked 27th in the BWF rankings.

The Indian didn’t play her best badminton made too many errors throughout the encounter. However, she has a chance to carry forward the momentum and come back strong with a few home tournaments slated to be held in the next few weeks – Syed Modi (BWF 300). With Malvika Bansod’s defeat, India’s campaign at the Hylo Open 2023 came to an end.