Premier Badminton League: Delhi thump mumbai, end atop table

Despite having cemented their last-four berth, a rampaging Delhi Acers thumped Mumbai Rockets 5-0 in their final league round clash of the Premier Badminton League, here on Wednesday.

Following the rout, Delhi jumped to the top of the table with 20 points to replace Awadhe Warriors (15). Without a single win in the Bengaluru leg, Mumbai are fourth with 13 points.

At the Kanteerava Stadium, Mumbai were off to a flyer in the mixed doubles as their overseas recruits — Denmark’s Kamilla Juhl and her Russian partner Vladimir Ivanov — overcame a stiff challenge from Delhi’s Indian pair Akshay Dewalkar and Aparna Balan to win 15-13, 15-11.

All eyes were on the women’s singles match between an experienced P.C. Thulasi of Delhi and Ruthivika Gadde.

Though this was Mumbai’s Trump game, the 24-year-old Thulasi breezed past Gadde 15-11 in the first game. But the 18-year-old Gadde from the Pulella Gopichand Academy fought back in the second to clinch it 15-8.

The crucial third game turned out to be evenly contested. Gadde was in the hunt until midway through the game but eventually succumbed as Thulasi romped home 15-13 to make it 1-0 for the Acers as the Rockets lost one point owing to losing the Trump game. Delhi swelled the lead to 2-0 as world no. 11 Tommy Sugiarto made light work of H.S. Prannoy 15-8, 15-6 in the men’s singles encounter.

Delhi marched ahead with another entertaining victory in the men’s doubles with Malaysian duo of Koo Keat Kien and Tan Boon Heong defeating former world no. 1 Mathias Boe and Vladimir Ivanov 11-15, 15-12, 15-10.

Delhi’s Trump match witnessed Brit Rajiv Ouseph blow away R.M.V. Gurusaidutt 15-7, 15-10. Later, Bengaluru Top Guns crashed out when they went down 2-3 to Chennai Smashers.

Semi-finals lineup Delhi vs Chennai Mumbai vs Awadhe