NAGPUR’S pride ace shuttler Malvika Bansod achieved Badminton World Federation career high ranking of 23 in women’s singles on Tuesday. Incidentally, Malvika, who has been part of the Indian squad on a regular basis, is 23 years old! Presently, the left-handed shuttler, who stunned World No 12 Yeo Jia Min of Singapore in three games in opening round of the All England Championships last week, is in Basel, Switzerland for the Swiss Open. Malvika’s 21-13, 10-21, 21-17 win over a better rated Yeo Jia Min, earned her three places in the ladder. She was World No 28 in that meet.

 

The gifted shuttler, however, ran into former world champion and third-seeded Japanese Akane Yamaguchi in the next round. A computer engineer by profession, Malvika, attributed her success to her long training regimen and sincerity. “I have worked very hard and diligently to reach until my career best so far of BWF Rank 23. I still have a long way to go to make our nation proud. I am very grateful to my coaches, sponsors, family and the grace of the almighty. A big thanks for the ones who believed in me and bigger thanks for the ones who challenged me to try better,” Malvika told ‘The Hitavada’ on Tuesday.

 

Malvika, who made her senior international debut in September 2019, worked hard and soon broke into top 100 winning and finished second in a few international tourneys. In two Super 300 events, Malvika ended runners-up. She was second best to compatriot PV Sindhu at Syed Modi International in 2022 where she got the better of Saina Nehwal to progress to the quarter-finals. In Hylo Open in 2024, she was runners-up against Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt.