Sydney, June 29 (IANS): India's Saina Nehwal became the first non-Chinese shuttler to win a women's singles Super Series title in 2014 after clinching the Australian Badminton Open at the State Sports Centre here Sunday.
The Olympic bronze medallist defeated Spain's Carolina Marin 21-18, 21-11 in 43 minutes to win her first Super Series crown in 20 months, after coming out on top in the Denmark Open in October 2012.
The $750,000 tournament in Australia was the eighth Super Series tournament this year. The previous seven have all been taken by the top Chinese shuttlers.
World No.3 Yihan Wang won in South Korea and Singapore, World No.2 Shixian Wang came out victorious at All England and India while World No.1 and reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui won in Malaysia, Japan and Indonesia.
This was the Hyderabadi's second title of the season after winning the India Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow in January.
The next Super Series on the circuit is the $500,000 Denmark Open to be held in Odense Oct 14-19.