Malvika Bansod Shocks World No. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in Thrilling China Masters Opener

Nagpur, India: Star city shuttler Malvika Bansod continued her impressive run at the BWF World Tour international badminton tournaments by stunning world no. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark in the opening round of the China Masters Super 750 tournament.

The 35th-ranked Malvika pulled off a dramatic comeback to win the highly anticipated match, 20-22, 23-21, 21-16, in a thrilling 74-minute contest. The victory marked revenge for Kjaersfeldt's 2019 Korea Open defeat over Malvika.

Malvika started aggressively, leading the first game comfortably with an 11-4 margin, but Denmark's experienced shuttler gradually closed the gap to win the opener 22-20. However, the Nagpur girl bounced back strong in the second game, winning 23-21 after being tied at 20-20.

The deciding third and final game was a nail-biter, with both players trading points until Malvika mounted an impressive comeback to win four consecutive points and secure the decisive score of 21-16. This victory propels Malvika to the second round where she will face world no. 10 Supanida Katethong of Thailand.

Malvika's success against Kjaersfeldt marks a significant victory, demonstrating her growing strength in international competitions. The Nagpur shuttler will look to build on this momentum as she takes on highly-ranked opponents at the China Masters.