Malvika Bansod (PTI Photo)

NAGPUR: Star Nagpur Shuttle Malvika Bansod made history on Saturday in Saarbrücken, Germany, becoming the first Indian to reach the final of the Hylo open.
The 23-year-old rallied impressively to defeat Denmark’s Julie Jakobsen in a tough semi-final match, winning 23-21, 21-18, to secure her place in the women’s singles final.
In her first meeting with 38th-ranked Jakobsen, Malvika showed composure even while trailing by five points in the opening match. She fought back to tie the score at 13-13, ultimately winning the first game 23-21. The second game saw Malvika start strong, taking an 11-4 lead and staying in control to win 21-18, closing out the match in 44 minutes.
Malvika will now face seventh seed Denmark, Mia Blichfeldtin the final. Blichfeldt beat compatriot Line Christophersen in the other semifinal, 21-19, 21-12.
En route to the semi-finals, Malvika, ranked 34th in the world, triumphed over the fourth seed Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam in a decisive 21-15, 21-17 victory, becoming the first Indian to reach this stage since PV Sindhu.
Malvika, hoping for a breakthrough on the circuit, caused a sensation at the China Open by beating Paris Olympics bronze medalist Gregoria MariskaTunjung. But the title race has eluded her as she navigates the tough world of the elite. badminton.