India's PV Sindhu, who secured medals in the last two Olympics, emerged victorious in her match against Maldives' badminton star Fathimath Nabaha Abdul Razzaq. This match marked Nabaha's Olympic debut and was the toughest challenge of her career to date.
India's PV Sindhu, who secured medals in the last two Olympics, emerged victorious in her match against Maldives' badminton star Fathimath Nabaha Abdul Razzaq. This match marked Nabaha's Olympic debut and was the toughest challenge of her career to date.
Sindhu, a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and a silver medalist at the Rio Olympics, defeated Nabaha 2-0. Nabaha initially put up a strong fight in the first set against Sindhu, one of Asia's most experienced players.
During the first set, Nabaha managed to tie the score twice before Sindhu eventually won 21-9. Sindhu took the lead after scoring four consecutive points, followed by Nabaha scoring five points to tie at nine.
In the second set, Sindhu displayed remarkable composure, slowing the tempo after scoring her first 11 points. Nabaha managed to score one point before Sindhu closed the set at 21-6.
Nabaha, participating in her second consecutive Olympics, has one more match left in the group stage, where she belongs to Group M. The final participant in her group is Estonia's Kristin Kuuba.
Nabaha is scheduled to play against world-ranked 74th Kuuba on Tuesday at 11:30 pm local time, while Sindhu and Kuuba will face off on Wednesday.
Nabaha's journey to the Olympics has been challenging. Although Maldivian athletes have previously participated in the Olympics under the wildcard policy, Nabaha's qualification journey was different. She secured her spot through her performance in various tournaments, catching the attention of the Olympics' tripartite commission.
This marks the first time a Maldivian athlete has not relied on an automatic invitation. Nabaha's exceptional performance in the qualifiers earned her a place in the Olympics, a significant achievement given the challenges she faced.
Reflecting on her journey, Nabaha told Mihaaru, "It's very tough. Keeping the game at the same standard and sustaining the position will always be a difficult challenge."
Before the Olympics, Nabaha considered attending a training camp in South Korea, a strong contender in Asian Olympics. However, the Maldivian Badminton Association did not facilitate her visa in time, preventing her from attending the crucial training.
Despite these obstacles, Nabaha's determination and hard work have brought her to the global stage, setting a precedent for future Maldivian athletes.
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