Paris 2024 Paralympics Para-Badminton: Nitesh, Suhas register wins; Krishna, Manoj and Sivarajan suffer defeats
The second day of the Paris 2024 Paralympics ended up being a mixed bag for the Indian men's badminton contingent. Five of India's shuttlers were in action in the men's singles group play stage on Friday, August 30. While two players registered comprehensive wins, the other three lost their bouts.
Nitesh Kumar and Suhas Yathiraj were at their absolute best at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Both players have now clinched their second consecutive wins. Nitesh defeated China's Jianyuan Yang in the SL3 category. A gutsy performance saw him win the match in straight sets (21-5, 21-11).
India's veteran badminton performer Suhas was equally dominant in the SL4 event. He went up against Hwan Kyung Shin of South Korea. The Indian won the match 2-0 with a scoreline of 26-24, 21-14. Though the first set went right down the wire, Suhas maintained his composure to turn the match in his favor.
Krishna, Manoj, and Sivarajan put up a disappointing show in Badminton at Paris 2024 Paralympics
The defending champion, Krishna Nagar, would be critical of his performance in his first match of the Games in Paris. The Indian shuttler failed to impress as he faced Miles Krajewski of the USA in the men's SH6 category. Krishna lost the clash 0-2, with the scoreline reading 16-21, 18-21.
Manoj Sarkar and Sivarajan Solaimalai also came up with a somber display of badminton. Coming into the match with recent defeats to their names, Manoj and Sivarajan suffered their second consecutive losses at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Sarkar locked horns with Mongkhon Bunson of Thailand in the SL3 category. There was not much that Manoj could do, as he was beaten in straight sets (19-21, 8-21). However, Manoj will get one more chance to prove his mantle.
Sivarajan also had to end Day 2 with a defeat. He competed against Hong Kong's Kai Man Chu in the men's SH6 event. After losing the first set, the Indian made a comeback with a win in the second. However, he eventually lost the match, with a 15-21 loss in the final set.