Suhas Yathiraj, India’s top-ranked badminton player, has advanced to the gold medal match in the men’s SL4 category at the Paris Paralympics. He achieved this feat by defeating his compatriot Sukant Kadam in a convincing semifinal victory. Yathiraj, the world number one and top seed, dominated the match, winning 21-17, 21-12 in just 35 minutes.
This victory sets up a rematch of the Tokyo Paralympic final, where Yathiraj will face Lucas Mazur, the reigning Paralympic champion. Mazur triumphed in that final, defeating Yathiraj 15-21, 21-17, 21-15.
Yathiraj’s journey to the final comes after a successful year, having won the 2024 World Championships gold medal and finishing runner-up at the Spanish Para Badminton International.
Sukant Kadam, who lost the semifinal, will compete against Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan for a chance to secure the bronze medal.
