Tokyo Paralympics: Indian paddlers Bhavinaben, Sonalben lose opening round matches
Tokyo : Indian table tennis players Sonalben Manubhai Patel and Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel lost their opening women’s singles matches in their respective groups at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, here on Wednesday.
Competing in the women’s Class 3 category, Sonalben lost to the Rio Paralympics silver medallist Li Quan of China 3-2.
Indian TT player started well to manage a 3-2 lead but she lost the momentum and allowed the world No four Li Quan a way back for a 9-11, 11-3, 15-17, 11-7, 11-4 win in their Group D opener.
Sonalben will face South Korea’s Lee Mi Gyu next on Thursday.
In the women’s Class 4 division, Bhavinaben suffered a straight 3-11, 9-11, 2-11 against world No 1 table tennis player China’s Zhou Ying.
Bhavinaben will take on Megan Shackleton of Great Britain next.
The players competing in the Class 3 and 4 segments are wheelchair-bound. Class 3 category players have no trunk control but bank on largely functional arms, while in class 4, the competitors have greater trunk control with fully functional arms and hands.
