Saarbrücken: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen claimed the women’s and men’s singles titles at the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Sunday, securing a double triumph for India with convincing straight-game victories.
Former world champion Sindhu defeated Denmark’s eighth seed Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt 21-12, 21-14 in 39 minutes in the women’s singles final. The second seed controlled the match with precise strokeplay and sharp net exchanges to claim her second title of the season, following her Japan Open triumph in July. She had also finished runner-up at the French Open last week.
“I took the lead from the beginning and I didn’t give her a chance,” Sindhu said, adding that she focused on winning every point rather than looking at the match as a whole.
The victory earned Sindhu 9,200 ranking points, strengthening her bid for a place in the season-ending World Tour Finals. Asked if she was back to her best, she said things were improving but acknowledged there was still room for improvement.
Later, Lakshya defeated Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-17, 21-10 in the men’s singles final to complete India’s double. The Indian, who had finished runner-up at the All England Championships earlier this year, used powerful smashes and deceptive strokes to take control after a closely contested opening phase.
Lakshya stepped up his attack in the second game, building a commanding lead before converting his first championship point to seal the title.
“It has been quite some time since I won a tournament, so it feels good,” Lakshya said, adding that his performances throughout the week had boosted his confidence.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion is now looking forward to celebrating Diwali with his family and friends at home, along with a housewarming celebration at his new residence.