Jiangsu: India’s Malvika Bansod was defeated by Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi with scores of 10-21, 16-21 in the China Open quarterfinals on Friday.
Yamaguchi, who is ranked eighth globally, secured a decisive straight-game win over the Indian player in just 35 minutes.
This marked Bansod’s third consecutive defeat to Yamaguchi, a former world number one.
In the first game, Bansod from Nagpur struggled to keep pace as Yamaguchi quickly gained an eight-point advantage at 12-4, eventually winning the game 21-10.
The second game saw a tighter competition, with Bansod keeping up until the score was tied at 15-all. However, Yamaguchi’s superior skills prevailed, leaving Bansod behind.
Ranked 43rd, Bansod joined the ranks of PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal as the third Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals of a Super 1000 event, following her victory over Kristy Gilmour with scores of 21-17, 19-21, 21-16 on Thursday.
Previously, the 22-year-old had triumphed over Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia, who won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
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