Indian paddler Bhavina Patel will lock horns with China's Zhang Miao in the semi-finals of the table tennis tournament at the Paralympics. The Indian made her way into the semis by defeating Serbia's Borislava Rankovic 3-0 in the quarters.
The 12th seed is oozing confidence with every win. Her stunning effort against the former Paralympic champion has raised hopes of a possible gold medal for India. Ahead of Bhavina's semi-final encounter, here are a few things you need to know.
Bhavina to face former Paralympic champion in the semis
Bhavina's victory in the quarterfinals has already assured her of a bronze medal. She became the first Indian para-paddler to win a medal at the Paralympics. However, the Gujrat native has no intention of stopping with a bronze. She has been on fire throughout the tournament and will definitely give it her all to get to the final.
Her opponent in the semis, Zhang Miao, is once again a former world champion. However, the Indian has been successful in comprehensively getting the better of higher-ranked athletes at the Paralympics in Tokyo. She will be hoping to continue her dream run at the Games and upset another world-class paddler to bring further glory to India.
Zhang Miao is one of the most decorated paddlers in the para sporting world. She has two Paralympic and three World Championships medals to her name. Miao also has six Asian Para Games and nine Asian Championships medals in her kitty.
The Chinese paddler made her way into the semis by defeating Germany's Sandra Mikolaschek 3-1 in the quarters. Miao will be hoping to defeat her Asian rival in the semis and get back the gold medal she last won in 2012.
Paralympics 2021: When is Bhavina Patel's table tennis semi-final match?
Bhavina Patel will face off against China's Zhang Miao in the semi-finals of the table tennis competition. The match is scheduled to be played on August 28 at 6:10 AM IST.
Paralympics 2021: Where to watch Bhavina Patel's table tennis semi-final encounter?
The Paralympic Committee of India gave Eurosport India the official broadcasting rights of the Paralympics in India. DD sports will also telecast all the Indian events at the Paralympics in Tokyo.