The Tokyo Paralympics 2020 has started and Indian athletes are trying their best to win each and every game. On August 28, Saturday, Bhavinaben Patel makes India proud and has also made history as she became the first Indian to enter the final of a table tennis event, in Tokyo Paralympics 2020 and she had a tough fight winning 3-2 over Miao Zhang of China in class 4 semifinal on Saturday.
The 34-year-old, Bhavinaben Patel has indeed surprised everyone, and even the Indian camp in this Paralympics was surprised by the amazing play of the Indian paddler. Bhavinaben Patel has also stunned world number 3 Chinese opponent Miao Zhang, 11-7 11-4 9-11 11-8 in the semi-final match that actually lasted just for 34 minutes. India’s paddler Bhavinaben Patel will now compete against the world’s number one Chinese paddler Ying Zhou in the summit class which will be conducted on Sunday.
Bhavinaben Patel is the daughter of a hasmukhbhai Patel who is a small-time shopkeeper at Sandhya village which is located in Gujarat, Mehsana district. At first, she was not considered to be a player who can win a medal in the games but she has definitely made up her mind and made this Paralympics a memorable one. Bhavinaben Patel was diagnosed with polio when she was 12 years old.
Bhavinaben Patel also shared about how she thinks that she can give 100% in anything. She said ” when I came here I just thought that I would give my hundred percent without thinking of anything. If you give 100% the medal will come, that was what I thought.” Further telling about her confidence that she carries and also about the final game which is on Sunday, Bhavinaben Patel said that “if I continue with this confidence with the blessings of the people of my country I think I will win gold tomorrow I am ready for the final and I have to give hundred percent in the final also”
Despite Bhavinaben Patel’s polio and playing in a wheelchair, she never loses to give her best in any game she plays. Although she gave her best in the opening game but as it was a really tough competition she lost the opening game. But then she indeed made a strong comeback and she also claimed the next two games to take a 2-1 lead.
At the third game, the match was becoming really interesting and Bhavinaben Patel was in great touch as she needed only 4 minutes so that she could wrap up the third game. As the fourth game started Zhang showed her smart gameplay and she did not give Bhavinaben Patel the bragging rights and as a result, the match headed into the decider. And as the deciding fifth set started Bhavinaben Patel quickly reached a 5-0 lead. But the Chinese paddler Miao Zhang made a strong comeback and as it was trailing at 5-9, Miao Zhang defeated Bhavinaben Patel and she won three successive points to make it 8-9.
Bhavina Patel took a timeout so that she could gather herself. After the timeout, she made a great comeback as she armed with two match points, notched up the win, and also extended her successful lead. As she won the match this was Patel’s first victory against the former world number one Chinese Paddler Miao Zhang. Amazingly these two players have met each other 11 times before! Now Bhavinaben Patel has to face a very tough challenge against Zhou for a gold medal. In the quarterfinal match which was on Friday Patel defeated the 2016 Rio Paralympics gold medalist Borislava Peric Rankovic of Serbia which is also world number 2 to clinch a medal and make history.
