Bangalore: Teenage sensation Saina Nehwal upset top-seeded Trupti Murgunde to storm into the women’s singles final of the Canara Bank Senior National Badminton Championships here on Tuesday.

Fifteen-year-old Saina, fourth seeded here, was in top form as she ousted Trupti 11-9, 11-8 in 35 minutes.

In the final on Wednesday, she will cross swords with eight-time champion Aparna Popat, who is gunning for a record-breaking ninth straight nationals singles title.

Third seeded Aparna prevailed over second seeded Meenakshi 11-8, 11-13, 11-7.

Aparna raised her game when it mattered most to put it across Meenakshi.

All the top women players represent Petroleum Sports Promotion Board.

Saina sounded confident ahead of the title clash, saying, “I want to beat Aparna in two sets. That’s how my plan is. Let’s see how I play.”

Saina has reasons to feel confident. At the Asian Satellite Championships last year, she beat 27-year-old Aparna in straight sets.

Last year, Saina, training under former All England champion P. Gopichand in Hyderabad, also won the junior and sub-junior national titles.

Aparna, however, is not deterred by her defeat at the Asian Satellite Championships. “Each match is different, it depends on how you play on that particular day,” Aparna said.

In a men’s singles semi-final, top seeded Arvind Bhat had a relatively easy outing, as he quelled the challenge of third seeded Chetan Anand 15-8, 15-9 in 46 minutes.

Bhat was in control from the word go and was never under threat against Anand, the world number 25 who struggled to get his act together in the face of a combative opponent.