Para-Badminton World Championships | Prem Kumar Ale stuns top seed, enters quarter-finals

Kumar had an earlier hint of how difficult that match could be when Wandschneider defeated him 21-18 in the first game despite Kumar doing most things right. However, it turned out to be a matter of stamina as Kumar was seen turning up at the crucial moments to level proceedings with a 21-15 win. 

The deciding game, Kumar won a series of seven points to take the game and eventually sealed it 21-18. He would be facing China’s Yang Tong on Saturday. However, unlike the singles event, Kumar couldn’t win his doubles match alongside partner Abu Hubaida as they lost to Wandschneider and Mi Young-Chin 11-21, 14-21 in WH 1-2.

Other Indians were also competing to get into the quarterfinals and most of them did cross the line. Third seed Sukant Kadam had an easy win in the SL4 event where he defeated New Zealand’s Corrie Keith Robinson 21-8, 21-11 in a match that last just 19 minutes. This was after third seed Krishna Nagar also won his match against his partner Raja Magotra 21-9, 21-17 in men’s singles SS6.

The women’s category saw Parul Parmer and Manasi Joshi winning their respective SL3 matches. Partnering Raj Kumar advanced into the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 quarters after beating Swede-Norwegian pair of Rickard Nilsson and Helle Sofie Sagoy 21-18, 21-11. 

The other doubles matches saw top seeded Indian pair of Raj Kumar and Rakesh Pandey winning their second match of Group A in the men’s doubles SU 5 category. Compatriots Krishna Nagar and Raja Magotra also won their match in SS 6.