India’s Malvika Bansod pulled off a career-defining victory by defeating two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Kirsty Gilmour in the pre-quarterfinals of the China Open 2024 badminton tournament in Changzhou on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Indian, ranked 43rd in the BWF rankings, overcame world No. 25 Gilmour in a thrilling three-game contest, winning 21-17, 19-21, 21-16 in one hour and five minutes.
Bansod’s impressive win sees her progress to her first-ever BWF Super 1000 quarter-final, marking a significant milestone in her young career. This victory came on the back of another stunning result just a day earlier, where she knocked out Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the Paris 2024 bronze medallist, in the round of 32.
The match against Gilmour was a display determination from the Indian shuttler. In the opening game, Bansod found herself trailing 11-5 at the mid-game interval. However, she fought back to reduce the deficit to 16-14 before winning seven of the next eight points to claim the first game 21-17.
Gilmour, using her experience as a seasoned competitor, mounted a comeback in the second game, narrowly edging Bansod 21-19 to force a decider. The third game, however, was dominated by Bansod, who surged to a commanding 10-2 lead.
At 20-11, victory seemed all but secured, but Gilmour fought back with five consecutive points, reducing the gap to 20-16. Bansod kept her composure and sealed the match, securing her place in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on the win, Bansod said, “It’s definitely the biggest win of my career. Yesterday I won against Gregoria. This is the first time I’ll be playing the quarterfinals at a Super 1000, so it’s a dream come true, the biggest achievement of my life so far.”
This victory marks Bansod’s third triumph over Gilmour in five head-to-head encounters, further establishing her growing reputation on the global badminton stage. Bansod is now the lone Indian left in the China Open 2024 draw and faces a tough challenge ahead in the form of two-time world champion and world No. 8 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.
The upcoming quarter-final will be the third meeting between Bansod and Yamaguchi. The last time they faced off, at the Badminton Asia Championships 2023, Bansod pushed Yamaguchi to the limit in a closely contested match, narrowly losing 25-23, 21-19.
Speaking about the upcoming clash, Bansod said, “This is the third time with her (Yamaguchi). I’ll hope for the best. I’m in good form, so I will give it my best. I had a close match in the second outing, I lost 25-23 21-19, so I hope to produce my best.”
Bansod’s stunning victories over Tunjung and Gilmour have not only cemented her status as one of India’s rising stars in badminton but have also set up a high-stakes encounter with one of the sport’s elite. Her journey in the China Open 2024 continues, with fans eagerly awaiting her next battle against Yamaguchi, where she will hope to continue her remarkable run and make further history.
