KUALA LUMPUR: Abu Samah Borhan is on the right track to qualify on merit for the wheelchair tennis event at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.
World No. 63 Abu Samah, 34, said he still had time to be in the top 32 to qualify on merit for the Tokyo Paralympics.
“Previously I was ranked 81st, but after winning three tournaments during the Tour series in Sri Lanka last month, I moved up to number 63. So, it’s not impossible for me to achieve the target (of being in the top 32),” he told Bernama after the qualifying tournament for the wheelchair tennis World Team Cup championship.
Malaysia lost 0-2 to Sri Lanka in the qualifying tournament at the Tun Razak Tennis Centre on Monday, with Abu Samah going down 6-7 (3), 1-6 to Gamini Dissanayake and Mohd Yusshazwan Yusoff falling 2-6, 3-6 to Suresh Dharmasena.
Sri Lanka will now feature in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Team Cup Finals in Israel from May 13-18.
“We failed to reach the Finals. There is no denying that our rivals are in a class of their own,” said Abu Samah, who will compete in the Sabah Open from March 6-8 and the Labuan Open from March 10-12.
National wheelchair tennis coach Mohd Nadir Mohd Ashraf said his charges showed an improved performance despite the loss. – Bernama
