Maldivian badminton star Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq (Naba) has surged into the top 16 at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Naba’s successful run in the individual events sets her apart from all the Maldivian players who were eliminated in the first round.
Naba confirmed her place in the top 16 of the women’s singles category after a hard-fought match against Iran’s Yeganeh Kermani on Tuesday. Although Yeganeh claimed the first set 22-20 in a closely contested battle, Naba displayed incredible resilience and tied the set 20-20. Ultimately, Yeganeh secured the set by winning the next two points. However, Naba made a spectacular comeback, winning the next two sets dominantly with scores of 21-13 and 21-17, ultimately triumphing with a score of 2-1.
Unfortunately, Naba’s twin sister, Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq, faced a tough defeat against Korea’s Kim Ga-eun, losing in two straight sets with scores of 21-2 and 21-1. In the men’s singles, Maldivian national champion Hussain Zayan Shaheed Zaki also faced a challenging match against Thailand’s Katapon Wangchareon, ending in a loss with scores of 21-3 and 21-5. Similarly, Maldivian player Ahmed Nibal failed to progress, losing in two sets to Singapore’s Jason Tay with scores of 21-8 and 21-1.
In the doubles event, Nabi and Naba faced tough competition from India’s Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, ultimately losing in the second round of the women’s doubles with scores of 21-14 and 21-12.
