NAGPUR: Malvika Bansod, one of India's top shutters after Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, will be playing her first major tournament at home after the 2017 Senior Nationals, on Wednesday.
All eyes will be on top-seed Malvika when she takes the court in the first round of the India Maharashtra International Challenge 2022 at the Divisional Sports Complex, Mankapur. The southpaw shuttler will face Akansha Matte, who made light work of another local shuttler Shruti Chokhandre in the qualifier on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old Malvika will be looking for the title in her hometown, which is hosting its first-ever international event, to make it a memorable one. Nagpur is the only city after Mumbai in Maharashtra to host the BWF international challenge.
A title in Nagpur and in the next international challenge meet at Raipur will give more lift to Malvika's already growing stature in the country. Malvika returned home after her World Championship campaign ended in the first round on August 23.
Having climbed four places in the world rankings to 43 on Tuesday, and being the only shuttler in the top 50 apart from Sindhu (rank 7) and Saina (rank 30) in the newly-released ratings, she is expected to live up to her billing. She looked in good shape when the shuttler practiced at the venue on Monday.
Another top women's shuttler in the country, Aakarshi Kashyap, seeded second, will be in action in the evening. Local talent Rohan Gurbani will lock horns with Kiran George in the first round.
