The Swiss and Japanese women’s wheelchair players continued their surge towards individual and doubles gold by storming into the semifinals on Friday.
Switzerland’s Cynthia Mathez (WH1) and Ilaria Renggli (WH2) made it to the last four of their individual competitions through different routes. Mathez was stretched to three games before she emerged victorious over Belgium’s Man-Kei To 23-21 10-21 21-18, while Renggli brushed aside Maria Gilda Dos Santos Do Antunes of Brazil in 17 minutes.
Day 4️⃣ action 🏸
Women’s Singles WH1 Quarterfinals
🇧🇪 Man-Kei To 🆚 Cynthia Mathez 🇨🇭21-23 21-10 21-18#Parabadminton #BWFWorldChampionships #Tokyo2022 pic.twitter.com/cjkWxCTY3q
— BWF (@bwfmedia) November 4, 2022
Henriett Koosz, the lone Austrian at the World Championships, also progressed to the medal rounds and takes on Mathez in her singles semifinal before partnering with Ignacio Fernandez of Spain in the mixed semi.
Both Mathez and Renggli then teamed up in the women’s doubles WH1-WH2 quarterfinals later in the evening to defeat Chinese Taipei pair of Hu Guang-Chiou and Yang I-Chen 21-10 21-10.
Japan’s defending WH1 world and Paralympic champion Sarina Satomi eased into the semis with a 21-5 21-7 win over Kang Jung Kum of South Korea, while Paralympic bronze medallist Yuma Yamazaki ran out a 21-2 21-2 winner over India’s Annu Mohan.
They are also in the last four of the women’s doubles WH1-WH2 where they take on South Korean pair of Jung Gyeoul and Kwon Hyunah.
The men’s singles WH2 category favoured the favourites, with world No.1 and home hero Daiki Kajiwara moving past South Korea’s Yu Sooyoung 21-12 21-11, where he will face German Rick Hellman.
“My minimum goal upon coming here was to be in the top eight,” Hellman said after winning 21-9 21-17 against over Matsumoto Takumi.
“I saw the bronze medal as a high goal, and top eight as the low goal. Since I play the Paralympic champion next, I don’t think I can win but maybe I can take a game.”
Reigning world champion Kim Jung Jun eased into the last four with a comfortable win over France’s Thomas Jakobs to remain on course for a rematch of last year’s Paralympics final against Kajiwara.
WHAT OTHERS SAID
On his epic battle with Japan’s Keita Nishimura in the men’s singles WH1 in the quarterfinals.