Tokyo: Both World No. 1 and No. 2 men’s singles players in the SU5 category (SU5 have impairments in their upper limbs such as a missing thumb which restricts grip and power of the stroke or loss of an arm due to amputation or nerve damage.), Dheva Anrimusthi of Indonesia and Cheah Liek Hou of Malaysia got off to a strong start in their first group stage matches at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics on Wednesday.
Dheva Anrimusthi stepped on the gas pedal immediately as soon as he took the court by securing his first victory by defeating compatriot and World No. 3 Suryo Nugroho in Group A with 21-7, 21-7.
Anrimusthi will play his second Group A match on Thursday against France’s World No. 6 Loquette Meril at 15:20 local time, and Nugroho will face Bartlomiej Mroz of Poland in the second Group A match.
Meanwhile, Cheah Liek Hou of Malaysia was not troubled by his Egyptian opponent – Ahmed Eldakrory in the first Group B match, needed only 15 minutes to defeat Eldakrory 21-3, 21-2 in the action that took place at the Yoyogi National Stadium.
The 33-year-old Cheah would need to win his second match against Taiwan’s World No. 8 Fang Jen-yu on Thursday to confirm a spot in the semi-finals.
Fang defeated Japan’s World No. 5 Taiyo Imai 21-16, 17-21, 21-10 on Wednesday.
Cheah will play his last group stage match against Imai on Friday.
This is the first time badminton has been listed as an official sport in the Paralympic Games. Only the top two winners of each group would advance to the semi-finals.
Another Malaysian player, Didin Taresoh who is competing in the SH6 (athletes who have achondroplasia and short stature) category will start his action in Tokyo on Thursday.
The 2015 world champion will play two matches in one day. He will first take on world number two from India, Krishna Nagar at 13:00 Tokyo local time, before meeting Vitor Tavares from Brazil at 17:20 local time.
