Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal celebrated her No 1 ranking by beating Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon to clinch the India Open $275,000 Yonex Sunrise Super series event at the Siri Fort sports complex in New Delhi on Sunday.
She took the first game 21-16 in 24 minutes and raced to a 11-6 lead before closing out the match 21-14 in just 49 minutes.
Nehwal created history on Saturday, becoming the first Indian woman shuttler to attain the world No 1 ranking after her closest challenger for the spot, Spain's Carolina Marin, lost in the semi-finals.
The ace Indian shuttler made sure of the top ranking even before she got the better of Japan's Yui Hashimoto 21-15, 21-11 in the second semi-final.
Though the official rankings will be out only next Thursday, the 25-year-old Indian is assured of her ascent to the top following Marin's defeat.
The World and All England champion, Marin lost to finalist Intanon in the first semi-final.
The London Olympic bronze-medallist has won a staggering 14 international titles in her glorious career, and, most recently, became the first Indian woman to make the final of the prestigious All England Championships in Birmingham.
The London Olympics bronze medallist had sailed past Indonesia's Hana Ramadhini 21-15, 21-12 in last eight on Friday to stay in contention for the No 1 spot.
