Tokyo: Paddler India Salalben Manubhai Patel suffered a 2-3 defeat close to Qian Li in China in the opening match of Group D in Singles – Class 3 here at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Wednesday.
World No.
4 Li defeated Salalben 9-11, 11-3, 15-17, 11-7, 11-4 in 36 minutes.
Indians will now fight Mi Gyu Lee South Korea on Thursday in a group match D second.
Salalben started the match with a record of victory when he took the first game 11-9.
Li then returned firmly when he dominated and won the second match 11-3 in just five minutes.
The third game was a marathon when the Indian Paddler held his nervoscoline against the Rio 2016 silver medalist to the edge of 17-15.
The Chinese turned momentum again when he forced the decisive by winning the fourth match 11-7.
Qian did not give responsibility to Salalben in the fifth match too, reaching it 11-4.
Tokyo Paralympics: Paddler Sonalben lost the opening group D
