PBL 3 Tie 10: Viktor leads Blasters to the title

World No. 1 Viktor Axelsen averted the challenge from the Korean Son Wan Ho as Bengaluru Blasters defeated Mumbai Rockets on Monday.

Viktor Trump victory demolished Son with 15-6, 15-13 to add an extra point to his team Blasters with 4-0 lead after three matches at the Babu Banarasi Das U.P. Badminton Academy, Lucknow.

After the mixed doubles and women’s singles matches, Viktor saved the team from the Tie.

Being the first day of the new year, the spectators left the stadium with the hot hysteric happiness, who braved to make sure to attend the match on the cold winter evening.

Axelsen registered an impeccable win stunning the Korean Son with his thrash win in the first game. In the second game, the Korean got a better learning of the Dane and did give a better account but Axelsen maintained his composure to seal the tie with a towering smash.

Axelsen said, “I have played against him a lot of time and know that he can come back anytime. Everyone saw the way he came back in the second game and it was very crucial for me to stay focussed throughout. I am happy to have pulled it off and put my team in the driving seat.”

In the women’s singles match, World No. 16 Gilmour carried the Blasters lead after defeating USA’s Beiwen Zhang with 15-14, 15-8

Beiwen strode with the better strokes with four points on the trot, who was later pushed back by Gilmour. But Beiwen clearly looked the better player on the court and went into the interval 8-5. She maintained the spirit and was leading with 11-6, and was almost sealed the game, when Gilmour reverted and eventually won the game. Gilmour closed the challenge with the same flow in the second game.

In Tie opener, Sikki Reddy and Rang beat the debutant M R Arjun and Gabriela Stoeva with 15-8, 10-15, 15-10

In the opening match of the tie, Sikki and Rang knocked down Mumbai pair M R Arjun and Gabriela Stoeva 15-8, 10-15, 15-10 to seal the opening points.