Date:06/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/06/stories/2008100660491900.htm

Sport - Badminton

Chetan Anand makes history

— FILE PHOTO

Chetan Anand.

New Delhi: It was a memorable day for Indian badminton as Chetan Anand became the first Indian to win the men’s singles title in a Grand Prix event and the pair of V. Diju and Jwala Gutta claimed the honours in the mixed doubles event in the Bitburger Open in Germany on Sunday.

Fourth seed Chetan pipped seventh seed Arvind Bhat 23-25, 24-22, 23-21 in an all-Indian final, lasting exactly one hour.

Chetan was off to a good start but lost the plot in the end as the opening game slipped out of his fingers. However, the National champion won the next game 24-22.

In the third game he was trailing 14-19, but the World No. 30 got his act together and scored six consecutive points before sealing the game 23-21.

Great win

“It is the most satisfying moment for me after the Commonwealth bronze medal. It was a great win. I was ready to play long matches and kept my patience and pulled it off at the end,” Chetan said after the match.

Earlier, Diju and Jwala defeated eighth seed Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen in the final.

The Indian duo beat the Danish pair 8-21, 21-17, 22-20 in 48-minutes. —PTI