Delhi Acers’ calculated gamble paid off as its British-import Rajiv Ouseph pulled off his ‘trump’ match against a desperate R.M.V. Gurusaidutt of Mumbai Rockets in the tie-decider of the Premier Badminton League final here on Sunday.
The 4-3 triumph for Delhi was worth Rs. 3 crore. Mumbai settled for Rs. 2 crore out of the total prize fund of approximately Rs. 6.5 crore.
Unlike what the score suggests, Delhi’s title-triumph could be predicted once the host won the men’s doubles match to take a 2-1 lead. Thereafter, Mumbai and Delhi won their ‘trump’ matches on expected lines.
Ouseph, who had beaten Gurusaidutt 15-10, 15-7 last week when the teams met in the league, once again dominated the Indian to win 15-11, 15-6 in just 31 minutes to bring the curtains down on the fortnight-long league. The key match of the final was the men’s doubles since the other four results eventually came on predictable lines.
Mumbai’s Vladimir Ivanov and Mathias Boe were looking to avenge the loss suffered in the league in Bengaluru. But Koo Keat Kien and Tan Boon Heong looked in control for the better part of the opening game before Ivanov and Boe bounced back from 12-14 to win the last three points. In the second game, too, the Malaysian pair enjoyed an early four-point lead. Delhi eventually managed to force the decider. Here, too, the Malaysians opened up a 10-3 lead before the Mumbai pair almost pulled off the Houdini act, but fell on the match-deciding point.
The earlier two matches produced expected results with Mumbai taking the mixed doubles and Delhi hitting back to win through an undefeated Tommy Sugiarto in the first men’s singles.
Mumbai took the lead with Ivanov and Kamilla Juhl winning with ease. This time, the Mumbai pair outclassed Akshay Dewalkar and Gabrielle Adcock in quick time.
It was now left to Sugiarto to win for the sixth time in the competition. The Indonesian did not let Delhi down as he once again defeated H.S. Prannoy, this time after dropping the first game. Sugiarto’s economy of effort stood in stark contrast to Prannoy’s laborious ways. In the end, Sugiarto’s stamina made the difference as a tiring Prannoy committed far too many unforced errors.
The results: Delhi Acers bt Mumbai Rockets 4-3 (Akshay Dewalkar & Gabrielle Adcock lost to Vladimir Ivanov & Kamilla Juhl 6-15, 12-15; Tommy Sugiarto bt H.S. Prannoy 13-15,15-9, 15-9; Koo Kean Kien & Tan Boon Heong bt Vladimir Ivanov & Mathias Boe 14-15, 15-10, 15-14; P.C. Thulasi lost to Han Li -T 15-12, 8-15, 8-15; Rajiv Ouseph -T bt R.M.V. Gurusaidutt 15-11, 15-6).
