Saina clinches second Australian Open title

June 12, 2016 02:56 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 05:01 am IST - Sydney

NEW DELHI  02/04/2016:  India's Saina Nehwal in action against  Li Xuerui (China) in the women singles semi final match in the Indian Open Badminton Championship  ,in New Delhi on Saturday April 02,2016. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

NEW DELHI 02/04/2016: India's Saina Nehwal in action against Li Xuerui (China) in the women singles semi final match in the Indian Open Badminton Championship ,in New Delhi on Saturday April 02,2016. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Indian ace Saina Nehwal received a huge boost ahead of the Rio Olympics as she clinched her second Australian Open title after defeating China’s Sun Yu in a thrilling three-game final of the Super Series badminton tournament today.

The 26-year-old from Hyderabad eked out a 11-21 21-14 21-19 over the World No. 12 Sun in a fighting summit clash that lasted an hour and 11 minutes here.

London Olympics bronze medallist, Saina, who had beaten two world champions — Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon (2013) and China’s Yihan Wang (2011) in the quarterfinals and semifinals — thus clinched her maiden title of the season and pocketed a cheque of USD 56,250.

It is Saina’s second Australian Open victory, having clinched the title in 2014 as well. It ended a rather long title drought for the celebrated Indian, whose previous title before today was at the India Super Series in New Delhi in last year.

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