Want to take the positives into the new season, says Para shuttler Manasi Joshi

Want to take the positives into the new season, says Para shuttler Manasi Joshi
Top para shuttler Manasi Joshi wants to take the positives from the season-ending 5th Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International 2023 to the new season which has the all-important World Championships in February 2024.
Joshi and her partner Thulasi Murugesan clinched the only gold medal for Team India at the Dubai Para Badminton International, avenging the pair’s Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games final loss against Indonesian top ranked Leani Ratri Oktila and Khalimatus Sadiyah in the women’s doubles SL3-SU5. Joshi-Murugesan rallied from a game down to win 15-21, 21-14, 21-6.
Overall, Team India clinched 14 medals that also has five silver medals and eight bronze.

“Happy to finish the year with a gold medal. This was an important win as Dubai 2023 was the last championships before the World Championships. So, whatever positives we take from this event will be reflected at the Worlds. We are hoping to better in the Worlds,” Joshi told Paralympic Committee of India. 
“For me, I have worked on all the aspect of a game of SL3. Now all I must do is sit through and analyse what tactic I must play against which player - use my movement against one and strength against the other,” added Joshi, whose women’s singles SL3 and mixed doubles SL3-SU5 campaign ended in quarter-finals in Dubai.
Joshi and Murugesan, both of whom trains at the Pullela Gopichand Academy, have started playing together only this year and has together win six titles from the nine tournaments in 2023. 
The women’s doubles SL3-SU5 though will not be part of the Paris 2024 Paralympics but will be played in the upcoming World Championships in Pattaya.
For Murugesan, she had to settle for a gold (WD SL3-SU5), silver (WS SU5), and bronze (XD SL3-SU5 with Nitesh Kumar) medals in Dubai much like her campaign in Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games. “I wanted to win at least two gold medals here. But the competition is very tough now as everyone wants to win the Paris 2024 qualification points.

Bhagat’s focus on Fitness and Strength
In men’s standing events, Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat finished second to his English arch-rival Daniel Bethell going down in straight games 17-21, 8-21 in men’s singles SL3 final. 
Bhagat, the Asian Para Games champion, later admitted he ran out of stamina and power in the game. “He was a better player today. Post the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Bethell has worked a lot in his game, and I can see his progress. I must get back on track now, work hard on my fitness and strength,” said Bhagat who also lost his SL3-SU5 mixed doubles final to Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani.
Meanwhile, India's Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj fell to Malaysia’s Mohd Amin Burhanuddin 21-13, 21-16 in the men's singles SL4 final but was content with the way he played this year. 
Having started the year ranked 39th after missing out several Level 1 tournaments, Yathiraj slowly climbed the ladder making the most in the Level 2 events.  “The only way to be a Paralympic contender is to play exceedingly well in the Level 2 tournaments and I managed to do that. So far, it’s been a great season. You cannot afford to be complacent at any point as from India itself, it’s a tough competition to qualify for the Paralympics,” said the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic silver medallist.

China on Top
Elsewhere, Paralympic and Asian Para Games stars Qu Zimo and Yin Menglu (WH1) and Liu Yutong (WH2) continued their amazing run of form to clinch two gold medals each as China finished on the top with nine gold medals.
There were also others like Li Fengmei (WS SH6), Cheng Hefang (SL4) adding to China’s tally with gold medals.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Muhammed Fareez Anuar claimed his first singles title of the year while Nigeria’s Mariam Eniola Bolaji clinched her first gold in Dubai following an amazing week.
Anuar overcame Paralympic champion Cheah Liek Hou in straight games 21-19, 21-19 for the men’s singles SU5 final, before they together clinch their eighth men’s doubles SU 5 title in the year.

Unbeaten Bolaji
“I am satisfied with my performance here. I am happy to maintain a top form until the end of the year. Anuar has improved a lot in his game but there’s a lot of things he must learn and become solid at a few things,” said Liek Hou.
Bolaji, who has been unbeaten this year, was stretched to the limit by Indonesian world no. 1 Syakuroh Qonitah Ikthtiar before the Nigerian pulled off a 21-7, 13-21, 21-11 win over the latter in the women’s singles SL3.
“She (Syakuroh) was a tough opponent. She has good balance and is all over the court. Happy to finally win it and achieve one of my goals this year,” said an exhausted Bolaji.

Dominant and Disciplined Kajiwara
Among other top finishers were: Paralympic champion Daiki Kajiwara maintained his dominance and pulled off the men’s singles WH2 final winning over Hong Kong’s Daniel Chan Ho Yuen 21-14, 21-15. 
The Japanese star also crossed his 100th consecutive win after he won his semi-finals on Saturday. “I don’t think about records when I am in the court. For me I follow what my coach says,” said Kajiwara adding that his focus all about ‘training’ in the New Year.
Chan Ho Yuen added: “Kajiwara is a natural talent. It’s difficult to overcome his challenge; he is so disciplined and so focused and his control over the shuttle is amazing.”