The women's singles final at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium saw PV Sindhu triumph over her fellow countrywoman, Malvika Bansod. Sindhu's superiority was evident as she swept the 2022 Syed Modi International with a straight-game victory, finishing 21-13, 21-16. Despite the defeat, the rising talent Malvika Bansod put up a spirited fight during the 35-minute encounter. With this win, Sindhu adds another Super 300 title from Lucknow to her resume, mirroring her earlier victory at the same tournament back in 2017.
This title is a major comeback for Sindhu, marking her first BWF trophy since she topped the world in 2019. It comes after a tough period last year where she narrowly missed out on titles in two finals, including the Swiss Open. Entering as the top seed, Sindhu outclassed 20-year-old Bansod with ease. Facing a somewhat thinner field of competitors, the former World Champion took charge immediately, establishing a dominant 7-0 lead within the first few minutes of play.
Sindhu maintained her aggressive rhythm, wrapping up the first game in a swift 14 minutes. Her seasoned approach made it nearly impossible for the inexperienced Bansod to find a footing. By the interval of the second game, the World No. 7 had already built a comfortable 11-4 lead. Although the young Bansod attempted a spirited rally to close the gap to five points (12-17), the momentum remained with Sindhu.
Utilizing her height advantage, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist unleashed powerful smashes and precise drop shots to keep her opponent off balance. Sindhu finished the second game with total composure. Despite a brave effort from Bansod, who is ranked 84th in the world, the gap in skill and experience was simply too wide to bridge, leaving Bansod's comeback attempts unsuccessful.
This match marked the first time Sindhu and Bansod faced off in an international tournament. Bansod had previously made headlines by pulling off a shocking upset against Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal at the 2022 India Open. As a rising star in Indian badminton, Bansod recently won the all-India senior ranking event in December and previously secured titles at the 2019 Annapurna Post and Maldives International Future series.
Earlier that day, the mixed doubles category also saw Indian success, with seventh-seeded Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto claiming the title. They secured their first Super 300 trophy by defeating their compatriots, Hema Nagendra Babu and Srivedya Gurazada, in a decisive straight-game win (21-16, 21-12) that lasted 29 minutes.