Malaysian shuttlers defied the odds to come away with three titles at the Fazza-Dubai Para Badminton International.
With the exception of Didin Taresoh, who failed to get past top seed Nagar Krishna of India in the Combined Singles SH6 class final, Cheah Liek Hou, Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli and Noor Azwan Noorlan defeated higher ranked rivals to end the tournament on a golden note.
Like Hou, aiming to be the first Malaysian badminton player to win a Paralympic gold in Tokyo later this year, upset top ranked and the much younger Dheva Anrimushti in the men’s singles SU5 class final.
Liek Hou came back from a game down to tame Dheva 14-21, 22-20, 21-18 in an energy sapping final match to avenge the defeat to the Indonesian ace at the same stage two years ago.
Dheva still holds a better 5-3 record against Like Hou, but has not lost both the last two meetings against the Malaysian, including the Brazal Para Badminton International last year.
The victory puts Like Hou in good standings as both Indonesian rivals are expected to be the top drawcards in Tokyo.
Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli gave the Malaysian’s a grand start on the final day when he upset top seeded David Toupe of France in the men’s singles WH1 class final. After a tense first game. Ikhwan managed to compose himself hand his opponent a 23-21, 21-13 defeat.
It is the second time that Ikhwan had got the better of Toupe, having also beaten him at the Thailand Para Badminton in 2019.
Noor Azwan Noorlan made it three golds for Malaysia when he too stunned the top seed for the men’s singles WH2 class title. Azwan defeated top ranked Rick Cornell Hellman of Germany 18-21, 21-18, 21-12 in the final.
Didin gave it his all in the Combined Singles SH6 class final against top seeded Nagar Krishna of India before bowing out 17-21, 18-21.
FINAL RESULTS
MEN’S SINGLES SU5: Cheah Like Hou (Mas) bt Dheva Anrimusthi (Ina) 14-21, 22-20, 21-18
MEN’S SINGLES SL3: Pramod Bhagat (Ind) bt Kumar Nitesh (Ind) 21-17, 21-18
MEN’ SINGLES SL4: Lucas Mazur (Fra) bt Sukant Kadam (Ind) 21-15, 21-6
MEN’S SINGLES WH1: Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli (Mas) bt David Toupe (Fra) 23-21, 21-13
MEN’S SINGLES WH2: Noor Azwan Noorlan (Mas) bt Rick Cornell Hellman (Ger) 18-21, 21-18, 21-12
COMBINED SH6: Nagar Krishna (Ind) bt Didin Taresoh (Mas) 21-17, 21-18
MEN’S DOUBLES SU5: Meril Loquette-Lucas Mazur (Fra) bt Suryo Nugroho-Fredy Setiawan (Ina) 21-19, 13-21, 21-19
MEN’S DOUBLES SL3-SL4: Pramod Bhagat-Manoj Sarkar (Ind) bt Sukant Kadam-Kumar Nitesh (Ind) 21-18, 21-16
MEN’S DOUBLES WH1-WH2: Thomas Jakobs-David Toupe (Fra) bt Prem Kumar Ale-Abu Hubaida (Ind) 21-19, 23-21
WOMEN’S SINGLES SU5: Megan Hollander (Ned) bt Palak Kohli (Ind) 21-18, 21-18
WOMEN’S SINGLES SL3: Oksana Kozyna (Ukr) bt Manasi Girishchandra Joshi (Ind) 21-10, 21-17
WOMEN’S SINGLES WH1: Karin Suter Erath (Sui) bt Cynthia Mathez (Sui) 21-16, 21-19
WOMEN’S DOUBLES SL3-SU5: Leani Ratri Oktila-Khalimatus Sadiyah (Ina) bt Lenaig Morin-Faustine Noel (Fra) 21-15, 21-16
MIXED DOUBLES SL3-SU5: Lucas Mazur-Faustine Noel (Fra) bt Hary Susanto-Leani Ratri Oktila (Ina) 21-12, 19-21, 21-19
MIXED DOUBLES WH1-WH2: Prem Kumar Ale-Tatiana Gureeva (Ind-Rus) bt Luca Olgiati-Karin Suter Erath (Sui) 21-11, 21-18
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