Thulasimathi and Nitesh reach SL3-SU5 mixed doubles final as two Indian pairs secure bronze in Nagoya

Thulasimathi Murugesan and Nitesh Kumar beat China’s Li Mingpan and Xiao Zuxian to reach the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 final at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya on October 22, 2026, while two other Indian pairs finished the day with bronze medals.

The World No. 2 Indian pair overcame China’s Zuxian Xiao and Mingpan Li (WR-17), World Championship bronze medallists, in the semifinal stage. After winning bronze at the previous edition, the duo are now guaranteed to better that finish. In para badminton, SL3 is for players with significant lower-limb impairments who compete on a half court, SU5 is for players with upper-limb impairments, and the SL3-SU5 event pairs athletes from the two classifications.

Thulasimathi and Nitesh prevailed 21-19, 14-21, 21-17 in a three-game semifinal that lasted 42 minutes at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium. "We are very happy. It's just that we have to focus on our next game," Thulasimathi said after the match. Nitesh said: "We have played most of the players a lot of times, so we knew what our strengths were and how we had to play against each opponent. We got a little distracted in between and started making a few errors, but it was good that we got our rhythm back at the start of the third set. So, when we shifted sides, we had a good lead. That gave us a little extra confidence going into the crucial phase of the match."

Manisha Ramdass and Pramod Bhagat were beaten 21-16, 13-21, 17-21 by Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani and settled for bronze in the mixed doubles. "We are feeling bad because it was a really close match and we had a chance. We performed well, and we were almost there. But I am really proud of the way he pushed today, and I am proud of myself as well for giving my all. But something went wrong, and we made some errors. Hopefully, we will be back for our singles matches," Manisha said. Pramod added: "After winning the first set, they didn't give us an opportunity to play. They played really cleverly and established a lead. We tried to close the gap, but the second set slipped away. We had a lead in the third set. They are two-time Olympic gold medallists, and we also lost some confidence. We played well in the first set, but we made minor errors towards the end, so we lost the final set."

Krishna Nagar and Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan lost their mixed doubles SH6 semifinal to Indonesia’s Rina Marlina and Subhan 14-21, 18-21 and also took bronze. "We could have won this set. We made some judgment errors in the first set, and in the second set, there was just a one- or two-point difference. We made mistakes while trying for quick points. We need to improve our game. We had a good chance," Krishna said. "We should have kept them engaged in longer rallies and made them tired, but they didn't give us many chances. We got some benefit in the second set, but unfortunately, we couldn't win it." He also reflected on his wider campaign: "My campaign has been okay. My goal was to play in the singles final, but I couldn't. I lost in the quarterfinals. I faced good players as I was seeded. I lost in the third set, so there were mistakes. But I have worked on my endurance and game speed. But I hope for the best. Next, we have the LA Paralympics, and before that, we have the world championships, so I will look to do well."

Thulasimathi is also in contention for gold in the women's doubles SL3-SU5 event; she and Manasi Joshi will face China’s Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian in the gold-medal match on Friday. Nitesh is also scheduled to contest the men's singles SL3 semifinal against Indonesia's Muh Al Imran.

Thulasimathi and Nitesh will meet Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 gold-medal match, with the women's doubles final and Nitesh's singles semifinal the other immediate fixtures for the Indian contingent at the Asian Para Games.