ABU Samah Borhan, ranked 46 in the world, will go into a showdown with Thailand’s Suthi Khlongrua in the final of the ASEAN Para Games wheelchair tennis competition on Thursday (Sept 21).
The 32-year-old Abu Samah, paralysed from the waist down following a road accident in 2006, defeated teammate Mohamad Yusshazwan Yusoff 6-1, 6-2 in the semi-finals on Tuesday (Sept 19).
Abu Samah competed at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and lost in the first round to world No. 3 Alfie Hewett of Britain.
Suthi, seeded No 1 here, brushed aside Ariffahmi Zaquan Ariffin 6-1, 6-3 in the semi-finals.
In the ‘quad singles’ preliminary round competition, Malaysian Azman Hasan scored a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Sombut Yampapha in a dual that lasted one hour and 15 minutes.
Azman will meet Thailand’s Nattaporn Taosrisakul next in the round-robin event. In another match, Pol Janteam, also from Thailand, defeated fellow countryman Nattaporn Taosrisakul 6-1, 6-1.
WHAT THEY SAY:
“Suthi (Khlongrua) is an experienced player and I will do my very best to win in the final. I am confident of winning.” – ABU SAMAH BORHAN
