New Delhi: 

In a stunning display of grit and determination, India’s young para-shuttler Manisha Ramadass scripted a remarkable upset at the Asian Para Badminton Championships 2024 as she defeated China’s two-time Paralympic champion Yang Qiuxia. The 20-year-old clinched her first-ever win against the experienced Chinese star in a fiercely contested women’s singles SU5 final on Sunday.

In the singles final, Nitesh outclassed Indonesian youngster Muh AI Imran in straight games. Later, he returned to court with Thulasimathi and secured a win over the Indian pair of Ruthick and Manasi in an all-Indian mixed doubles final.

Nitesh’s remarkable run isn’t over yet. He will feature in the men’s doubles SL3-SL4 final with Sukant Kadam, where they will face another Indian duo, Naveen and Jagadish, aiming for a clean sweep.

Manisha had never beaten the Chinese veteran and entered the match with a 0-6 head-to-head record. But this time she broke that streak in style, edging out a 21-18, 17-21, 21-15 victory in a gripping 57-minute clash that earned her a maiden Asian title.

Manisha started strong using her sharp cross-court drop shots to keep Yang under pressure in the first game. Her aggressive approach paid off and she took the opening game 21-18, and as expected, Yang bounced back in the second, showing her composure to level the match.

In the decider, the Indian seemed to be cruising with a commanding 13-2 lead. But nerves crept in as unforced errors saw Yang claw back to within a point at 15-14. At that point, the match looked like it might slip away. However, showing maturity beyond her years, Manisha regrouped and won six of the next seven points to close out the game and seal the gold.

While Manisha’s win was the highlight of the day, Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar also shone brightly with a double delight. The Indian ace bagged two gold medals- one in the men’s singles SL3 category and another in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 category alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan.

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