SL4 world champion Lucas Mazur wins Europe’s only gold medal at the 2nd Fazza - Dubai Para-Badminton International
An emphatic performance this week in Dubai from the Frenchman in the men’s singles. He hasn’t dropped a game and again proves his worth as the number 1 against the world’s best. The final today was a repeat of the last two world championships gold medal matches, his opponent, India’s Tarun Tarun. The score line 21-13, 21-17, Maur had this to say:
“I’m exhausted but very proud! I’m happy because I made small changes since last week in Turkey when I lost in the semi-finals and those changes worked for me this week. I want to thank my Coach Sandrine as she has done a lot of work with me which you don’t always see on the court. She’s a very good Coach”
“I will go home now and rest and see my family. It’s important to me, they support me very well. I won’t be in Uganda, but we will be getting ready for Canada in 4 weeks”
READ: Surprise! (Jansen and Kaesbauer reach the final)
Mixed feelings about the mixed doubles
Lucas Mazur and partner Faustine Noel made it to the SL3-SU5 final as well today, a fifth meeting with the Indonesian world champions Harry Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila.
Last week at the Turkish International it was the Indonesian pair that won this match-up, a semi-final result and led to them going on to win the gold. A positive performance then from the French however, they were the only pair in the draw to manage to take a game off Susanto and Oktila in Turkey.
Today they weren’t quite able to achieve that result. Straight games for the Indonesian’s, 21-19, 21-15. The first was close, with the French pair developing the opportunities to win, but not quite able to finish the job. The second looked slightly more comfortable for the world number ones. We spoke to Noel after the match:
“we had good tactics at the start, a shame to miss a few very important points, it might have made a real difference to the match. They did something different in the second game and we couldn’t work out how to adapt until too late. We’ll go home, watch the videos and apply what we learn in training”
Silver lining for Bethell and Coombs
Team GB’s Daniel Bethell and Krysten Coombs made it to today’s SL3 and SS6 men’s singles finals respectively. Both matches went to 3 games. Both matches lasted an hour. Both matches were won by Indian opponents. Coombs fell to Nagar Krishna 22-20, 23-25, 12-21 and had this to say after the match:
“That’s some of the best badminton I’ve played. I’m so happy because I play like this at home in training and finally this week I’ve been able to show it. I had match points in the second and should have won, but it’s so tough on the slower end! He pinned me into the back corners and its hard to get out.
It’s a final, and a great final! It’s points towards the Race to Tokyo and a great start to the year in that respect”
Bethell lost a third consecutive time to Pramod Bhagat with a score today of 21-15, 18-21, 13-21, but after a very short amount of time injury-free he was delighted with the week he has had, saying:
“I was in control during most of the first set and parts of the second, but I made errors late in the game and throughout the third. Fitness levels are not yet as high as I’d like them and I’m tired after a tough week. The last 16 match was a killer against Manoj, it took a lot out of me.”
“This week has been a big nerve-settler for me. I wanted to see how I stood compared to the top 5 and I’m pleased with the result. I aimed for quarters, to defend my ranking points and stay 3 or 4 seed into the next event. Instead I made the final, so I couldn’t be happier!”
Double vision
Despite an Indonesian net-kill to Pascal Wolter’s eye, the German effort with partner Jan-Niklas Pott was brave in the SL3-4 men’s doubles final. Wolter managed to carry on and finish the match before being taken to hospital after the 18-21, 15-21 defeat to Freddy Setiawan and Dwiyoko Dwiyoko. The European finalists were delighted with the result, making the final here in Dubai this week. We wish Pascal Wolter a speedy recovery.
Full results from the 2nd Fazza - Dubai Para-Badminton International on tournament software here with this link.