Defending champions Chetan Anand and Saina Nehwal, both of Petroleum Sports Board (PSB), retained the men's and women's singles titles at the 72nd Senior National Badminton Championship in Panaji on Sunday.
Anand defeated Arvind Bhatt 21-14, 22-20, while Nehwal routed Trupti Murgunde 21-11, 21-10 at Indoor Stadium in Campal to emerge champions again.
In the men's doubles final, Thane's Sanave Thomas and Rupesh Kumar of PSB overcame stiff resistance to down V Diju of Railways and Air India's Akshay Dewalkar 21-17, 21-17.
In the men's singles finals, Anand, who won the first set comfortably, found stiff resistance in the second as the three-time champion committed unforseen errors initially to trail behind by six points at one stage.
Bhatt, who hasn't won the title despite reaching the finals for the third successive year, could not capitalise on the opponent's errors. He allowed Anand to draw level at 20-20 before going down 22-20.
"I feel happy for winning the title for the third time. I have proved wrong my critics who were saying that my career was over. I still have in me another two to three years of play left," stated a delighted Anand.
In the women's singles final, top seed Nehwal won her match comfortably to lift the title for the second successive year.
