Para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam eager to make a mark in Spanish Open tournaments

Top Indian para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam are looking forward to kickstarting their 2022 season on a high at the upcoming Spanish Open tournaments.

The first tournament, a Grade 2 event, will commence on 1 March in Vitoria. It will be followed by a Grade 1 competition in Cartagena to be held from 9-13 March.

Having trained in Spain for a month, both Pramod and Sukant are excited to get back on the court. Ahead of the season opener, the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist Bhagat was quoted as saying by a media release:

"The Spanish tournament is always important as it kickstarts the season. I have been practising in Spain for the past month and have a got a good idea of the speed of the court which should give me an added advantage."

He also spoke about the major tournaments lined up this year, saying:

"This is a crucial year for me as this has both the World Championships and Asian Games."

Para shuttler Sukant Kadam eyes 2024 Paris Games medal

Meanwhile, national Para-Badminton Championship gold medallist Sukant Kadam is yet to qualify for the Paris Games. But he is confident of securing a berth and winning a medal for his country.

"I don't think too much about the past," he said. "But yes, I am going to make sure the same mistakes won't happen again. I am focusing on my goal and as I said, my ultimate goal is to win a medal in the Paris Paralympics.

"I am pretty confident that I will make it to Paris," he added. "It will be a dream come true to play in Paris and if I can win a medal, which I am sure, it will be special for me as well as my country."

The World No. 4 further spoke about his goals moving forward this year. He is aiming to improve his ranking ahead of big-ticket events like the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games slated to take place later this year.

"I want to keep my winning momentum going after winning the Uganda International and Nationals tournament," he said. "I have been working very hard on my game and that was the reason I came early to Spain to train and stay in focus of my goals.

"These tournaments are really important as I want to improve on my ranking and with Asian Games and World Championship coming this year, I want to keep my momentum," he added.