After years of waiting, Ashmita Chaliha finally has her breakthrough moment on the BWF World Tour. The 26-year-old from Assam on Sunday produced a gritty come-from-behind win to clinch her maiden World Tour title, defeating fourth seed Han Qian Xi of China 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the Korea Masters Super 300 final.
She is only the fifth Indian woman to win a Super 300 or higher title, after Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Devika Sihag and Tanvi Sharma.
It was a victory built on resilience. Chaliha dropped the opening game 14-21, but refused to let the match slip away. She responded in the second game with powerful winners and stubborn defence, sealing it 21-14 with a strong smash to force a decider.
The final game was every bit as tense. Chaliha trailed 9-11 at the mid-game interval, with the title suddenly within Han Qian Xi’s reach. But the Indian responded immediately, reclaiming the lead with precise winners and aggressive attacking play.
A well-placed winner put Chaliha 12-11 ahead before another superb shot extended her advantage to 15-11. From the rear court, the talented left-hander controlled the shuttle brilliantly through the crucial endgame, repeatedly finding winners while keeping her composure when it mattered most.
She moved to 19-14 with a cross-court winner before Han sent her return wide, handing Chaliha the match — and the biggest title of her career.
Chaliha had only returned to action in May after a three-month injury layoff owing to a tear in her right knee. But has since staged a strong comeback on the BWF Tour, which included a run to the semifinal at the Macau Open.
The world number 50 trains under Park Tae-Sang at the National Centre of excellence in Guwahati.
Ashmita’s win marks back-to-back BWF World Tour finals for Indians, with Tanvi Sharma having won the Taipei Open last Sunday.
