At the ongoing Syed Modi International 2023, women’s singles badminton player Unnati Hooda, 16, beat compatriot and WR-38 Aakarshi Kashyap in three games 15-21, 21-19, 21-18. While the scoreline looked tight, but Hooda made sure she lived up to the expectations of delivering on the big stage; she is touted as the next big thing in Indian badminton after PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal.
Unnati Hooda’s 2023 in a Nutshell
Back in March-April, Hooda had managed to reach the quarters of the Osaka International Challenge, followed by another last-eight finish in the Slovenia Yonex Open. Her biggest achievement of the year came at the Abu Dhabi Masters, where she beat compatriot Samiya Imad to lift the trophy. Then in October, she got the better of Tasnim Mir, to win the Chhattisgarh Challenge.
Malvika Bansod Gives a Scare to Former World No. 1 Nozomi Okuhara Syed Modi International 2023
In the men’s singles fixture, Kiran George beat Chirag Sen 21-16, 14-21, 21-13, to sail into the next round. In the women’s singles match, Malvika Bansod lost to former world no. 1 Nozomi Okuhara 21-18, 17-21,10-21. After winning the first game, Bansod ran out of steam and conceded two easy games thereafter. Bansod had shot to fame earlier last year when she beat Saina Nehwal at the India Open.
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