Saina played like a champion to get the better off a Intanon 21-16 21-14 in a battle that kept the crowd hooked from the first point to the last.

First Indian women shuttler to achieve world number one ranking, Saina Nehwal today clinched her maiden India Open Super Series title after notching up a dominating straight game victory against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the summit clash here today.

The London Olympic bronze medalist played like a champion to get the better off a Intanon 21-16 21-14 in a battle that kept the crowd hooked from the first point to the last at the Siri Sports Complex here.

Coming into the match with a 5-3 overall advantage over her rival, Saina was not tested much as the Indian was prepared for Intanon’s deceptive game.

Saina encountered her rival with her better movements and powerful and accurate smashes to eventually wrest her second title of the season.

The girl from Hyderabad, who has been on a roll ever since her victory at the China Open, played like a champion as she anticipated her opponent’s moves and caught her on the wrong foot during rallies.

Intanon, seeded third, seemed to be affected by her marathon semifinal match against Carolina Marin of Spain which lasted for close to an hour and and half yesterday.

The energy-sapping clash seemed to have made her movements slow on the court as she struggled with her returns.

The deafening cheers of the near-packed house crowd which chanted ‘India India’ and ‘lets go Saina lets go’, seemed to disrupt Intanon’s concentration as nothing went for her in the match.