BWF China Open 2024 Day 3 results: Malvika Bansod reaches maiden Super 1000 quarterfinal after hard-fought win against Kirsty Gilmour

The third day of the BWF China Open 2024 saw India’s rising badminton star Malvika Bansod continue her sensational run at the Super 1000 event, booking her place in the quarterfinals after an impressive 21-17, 19-21, 21-16 win over Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour.

With the win, the 22-year-old Indian shuttler made it to her first-ever Super 1000 quarterfinal.

A closer look at the Round-of-16 match between Malvika Bansod and Kirsty Gilmour at the BWF China Open 2024

The pre-quarterfinal match, which lasted an hour and five minutes, saw Bansod initially dominate the first game. She raced to an early 11-5 lead before Gilmour found her rhythm after the mid-game interval, leveling the score at 13-13 and even briefly taking the lead. However, Bansod regrouped quickly, and with the game tied at 16-16, she accelerated to close out the opener at 21-17.

The second game was a nail-biter, with both players engaging in a closely fought neck-to-neck contest from the first point. The tussle continued right till the end, and with the score tied at 19-19, Gilmour kept her composure to win two crucial points and force the match into a decider.

In the final game, Bansod found her rhythm once again and surged ahead with a commanding 10-3 lead. She maintained her dominance throughout, leading 20-11 at the end. Although Gilmour made one last push with five consecutive points, Bansod held her nerve and sealed the victory to win 21-16.

The win comes on the heels of Bansod’s stunning upset win over Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the Paris Olympics bronze medalist.

Bansod is the last remaining Indian in the competition and faces a daunting task in the quarterfinals, where she will meet Japan’s fourth seed and two-time world champion, Akane Yamaguchi.