PV Sindhu Ends Title Drought with Syed Modi International Victory

Lucknow: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu clinched her first title in over two years, defeating China’s Wu Luo Yu in the women’s singles final of the Syed Modi International on Sunday. Sindhu triumphed 21-14, 21-16 in a 47-minute match, marking her third win at the tournament following victories in 2017 and 2022.

This victory is Sindhu’s first since the Singapore Open in July 2022. The former world champion, who has faced challenges throughout the 2024 season, including a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters Super 500, celebrated the win as a much-needed comeback.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand achieved a historic milestone by claiming their maiden Super 300 title. The Indian duo overcame China’s Bao Li Jing and Li Qian with a commanding 21-18, 21-11 victory. This win makes them the first Indian women’s doubles team to secure the Syed Modi International title.

Having finished as runners-up in the 2022 edition, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallists demonstrated remarkable improvement to clinch the championship this year.

In the mixed doubles final, India’s Tanisha Castro and Dhruv Kapila started strong, taking the first game. However, they ultimately fell 21-18, 14-21, 8-21 to Thailand’s sixth-seeded duo, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran.

In the men’s doubles final, the Indian pair of Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K fought valiantly against China’s Huang Di and Liu Yang. Despite a spirited effort, they narrowly lost 14-21, 21-19, 17-21 in a grueling 71-minute contest.

The Syed Modi International proved to be a memorable tournament for Indian badminton, with Sindhu’s resurgence and the remarkable performances of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand standing out. These achievements underscore the growing strength of Indian badminton on the international stage.