Changzhou: Indian badminton star Malvika Bansod pulled off a career-defining victory over Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour, a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, in the pre-quarterfinals of the China Open 2024 on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Bansod, ranked 43rd in the world, overcame world No. 25 Gilmour in a thrilling 21-17, 19-21, 21-16 contest, securing her spot in her maiden BWF Super 1000 quarterfinal.
The opening game saw Bansod demonstrate remarkable resilience. Trailing 11-5 at the mid-game interval, she clawed her way back into contention, narrowing the gap to 16-14. Her determination shone through as she won seven of the next eight points, turning the tide to take the first game 21-17.
Gilmour, drawing on her experience, fought back in the second game, edging Bansod 21-19 to force a decider. But in the third game, Bansod came out blazing, surging to a 10-2 lead. Although Gilmour mounted a late comeback, reducing the deficit to 20-16, Bansod stayed composed and closed out the match to secure a monumental victory.
“This is definitely the biggest win of my career,” said a jubilant Bansod after her third win over Gilmour in five meetings. “Yesterday, I beat Gregoria [Tunjung], and now advancing to my first Super 1000 quarterfinal feels like a dream come true. It’s the biggest achievement of my life so far.”
The win followed Bansod’s earlier upset over Paris 2024 bronze medallist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia in the round of 32.
Bansod is now the lone Indian remaining in the China Open 2024 and faces a tough challenge in the quarterfinals against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, a two-time world champion and world No. 8. However, she remains optimistic, recalling her close loss to Yamaguchi at the Badminton Asia Championships 2023, where she pushed the Japanese star to 25-23, 21-19.
“I’m in good form and will give it my best,” said Bansod. “Our last match was really close, so I hope to bring my A-game this time.”
