Lucknow, Nov 29 (UNI) India’s badminton icons, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, are both eyeing their first BWF World Tour titles in over a year as they advanced to the semifinals of the Syed Modi International 2024 in Lucknow on Friday, continuing their strong performances at the Super 300 tournament.
Sindhu, ranked 18th in the world, moved a step closer to her maiden World Tour title since 2022 with a 21-15, 21-17 win over China’s Dai Wang (World No. 118) in 48 minutes. After a slow start, Sindhu turned the tide midway through both games.
She overcame an early 9-8 lead in the first game to build a commanding 16-10 advantage, closing it out with ease. The second game saw Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, shift gears after leading 6-5, eventually surging to a 15-8 lead. Despite Dai Wang’s spirited fightback to reduce the gap to 16-15, Sindhu’s late surge secured the win.
This marks Sindhu’s second semi-final appearance of the 2024 season. The former world champion will now face the young Unnati Hooda, who is also eyeing her maiden World Tour final. Hooda, 17, stunned fourth seed Pornpicha Choeikeewong in the round of 16 and breezed past USA’s Ishika Jaiswal 21-16, 21-9 in the quarter-finals. The two will meet for the first time in their careers in what promises to be an exciting encounter.
In the men’s singles, Lakshya Sen, ranked 14th, also has his eyes set on his first World Tour title since winning the Canada Open in July 2023. The Paris 2024 Olympics semi-finalist registered a convincing 21-8, 21-19 victory over compatriot Meiraba Luwang Maisnam. Sen, the top seed, will now face Japan’s Shogo Ogawa for a place in the final.
In mixed doubles, Tanisha Crasto, a Paris 2024 Olympian, and her partner Dhruv Kapila defeated Malaysia’s Loo Bing Kun-HO Lo Ee 21-16, 21-13 to reach the semi-finals. Crasto will also compete in the women’s doubles later in the day with Ashwini Ponnappa.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly secured a commanding 21-8, 21-15 victory over Malaysia’s GO Pei Kee and Teoh Mei Xing in their women’s doubles quarter-final.
The tournament continues with second-seeded Priyanshu Rajawat set to take the court in the men’s singles later today, aiming to continue India’s strong run at the Syed Modi International.
