General

Krysten Coombs keeping focus today in Tokyo (credit BadmintonPhoto)
Day 2 morning session
Date: 9/2/2021 2:30 PM
Published by : Bobby Griffin (BEC)

Team GB action in this morning’s session as WH2 Martin Rooke goes to war with Thailand and Coombs meets Shephard in another SH6 thriller


Martin Rooke notched Europe’s first win this morning in Tokyo for Team GB. The Englishman in a group of three started his WH1 men’s singles campaign against Thailand’s Dumnern Jungthong. It was a tense start for both men, nerves were clearly visible in game one as neither man wanted to attack with any flare.


Rooke did not begin to enjoy himself until late in the first game which was already slipping away, a typical slow start for the 48-year-old, which went the way of the Thai 21-18. The Englishman started the second well, fast and free-flowing badminton was no on show, and he raced to an early lead. A late surge from Jungthong was not enough to prevent Rooke from taking the second and the third was all Rooke as he powered to a 21-12 win


Read: Bethell emphatic against home favourite


Coombs close to perfect 


Jack Shephard versus Krysten Coombs is always a mouth-watering prospect. So often we have seen them go at each other in semi-finals and finals and whilst Shephard has the edge on paper, Coombs had the edge today in head-to-head meetings having won the last three.


Team GB Coaching staff had to watch from the stands as Coombs dominated the SH6 men’s singles Group A match from the start. Everything looked to have come together perfectly as Shephard struggled to keep up on this occasion, trailing 21-12, 21-10.


Coombs had this to say after the match:


I’m still a bit shocked. I wasn’t expecting to play like that. I think neither of us expected that. I just managed to control myself from the beginning.


- This is amazing. I was nervous. All the thrills got me going. It’s been 14 years now since I started playing. So far it’s been unbelievable. I’ve shown my full potential only over the last five years. I’m at the top of my game now, he added


The two-time World Champion has an agonizing 24 hours wait before taking on Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai in the final group match, whilst Coombs must reset quickly as he faces the world number three in a few hours time.



The Paralympic badminton schedule can be found here, with livestreams of one wheelchair and one standing court.



We will feature the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic badminton event here and across our usual platforms over the next two weeks, look out for more in days to come

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