Bhavinaben Patel on Friday scripted history via way of means of turning into the first Indian table tennis participant to secure a medal withinside the Paralympics after she entered the semifinals with a lovely straight-sport win over international range five Borislava Peric Rankovic of Serbia withinside the women's singles Class 4 occasion in Tokyo.
The 34-year-old Indian beat her Serbian opponent 11-5 11-6 11-7 in a quarterfinal fit that lasted 18 minutes. She takes on Zhang Miao of China withinside the semifinals on Saturday however she is assured of at the least a bronze. There is no bronze-medal play-off in Tokyo Paralympics table tennis, and each losing semi-finalist is assured of a bronze medal.
"It is certain that we will see a medal from her. Tomorrow morning's match (semifinal) is a massive decider what colouration of the medal she will win," Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik stated in video photos on her Twitter handle.
In 2017, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board had authorised the International Table Tennis Federation's request to cast off the third-location play-off in all of the medal activities and award bronze to each the losing semi-finalists.
Earlier withinside the day, she had crushed Joyce de Oliveira of Brazil 12-10 13-11, 11-6 in Round of 16 to emerge as the first Indian table tennis participant to attain the quarterfinals withinside the Paralympics.
Athletes in the Class four class have fair sitting stability and completely useful arms and hands. Their impairment can be because of a lower spinal cord lesion or cerebral palsy.
"I should win my semifinal match because of the support of the people of India. Please keep supporting me in order that I can win my semifinal match," Patel stated after the quarterfinal fit.
She had entered the knock-out round after winning one match and losing the opposite group game.