Paris Paralympics 2024: Nitesh, Thulasimathi secure straight-games win in all-Indian para-badminton clash
India's Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan showcased their prowess with a decisive win over compatriots Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli in the opening group stage match of badminton mixed doubles (SL3-SU5) at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday.
 )
FollowIndia's Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan showcased their prowess with a decisive win over compatriots Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli in the opening group stage match of badminton mixed doubles (SL3-SU5) at the Paris Paralympics 2024 on Thursday.
The Nitesh-Thulasimathi duo demonstrated their dominance, securing the Group A match with scores of 21-14 and 21-17 in just 31 minutes.
Nitesh, 29, from Karnal district in Haryana, paired with Thulasimathi, a veterinary science student from Tamil Nadu, who previously clinched bronze in mixed doubles at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Their impressive form was evident as they built a significant lead early in the first game, at one point ahead by seven points.
Despite Suhas and Palak’s efforts, they struggled against Nitesh and Thulasimathi’s effective net play and precise deep tosses. The first game concluded in a swift 14 minutes.
The second game followed a similar pattern, with Palak unable to match the skill of her senior partner, resulting in another clear win for Nitesh and Thulasimathi.
The SL3 classification indicates moderate impairment on one side of the body, affecting either both legs or the absence of limbs, while the SU5 classification involves significant impairments in the upper limbs.
