Lucknow: Top seed Saina Nehwal came out with a stupendous performance to save two match points and then defeat reigning World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain to retain the women’s singles title at the $120,000 Syed Modi International Badminton Championships here yesterday.


Saina Nehwal celebrates her win over Carolina Marin in Lucknow yesterday. Pic/PTI 

The World No 3 defending champion, Saina outplayed the Spanish World No 7 to win the one-hour and 19-minute marathon final 19-21, 25-23, 21-16 and clinch the Grand Prix Gold crown at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium. With the victory, Saina completed a hat-trick of wins against the second seeded Carolina in as many meetings between them. Also, this is Saina’s first title of 2015.