UAE pair Fatima Al Janahi and Aisha Al Awadhi made an impressive start to the women’s doubles padel competition at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday.
The duo defeated Lilia Msayki and Maria Bredi of Lebanon 6-3, 7-6 in their opening-round match to advance to the next stage.
UAE Duo Show Strong Partnership
Aisha Al Awadhi praised her partnership with Fatima after their first-round victory, highlighting their understanding and ability to support each other on court.
She said Fatima complements her playing style and helps push her to perform at her best, particularly during difficult moments and important points.
The pair will now look to build on their winning start as they aim to challenge for a podium finish.
Focus Turns to Next Match
Despite the convincing opening victory, Aisha said the duo would not get carried away.
The UAE players plan to study their next opponents carefully and prepare their strategy before returning to the court.
Aisha said the pair wants to represent the UAE strongly, fight for every point and enjoy the competition while remaining fully focused on the task ahead.
Padel Makes Asian Games Debut
Padel is making its Asian Games debut in Japan this year.
The racquet sport combines elements of tennis and squash and has grown significantly in popularity among both local and expatriate communities in the UAE.
Fatima and Aisha are among the country’s leading padel players and will now look to continue their campaign after their successful opening match.
Aisha Al Ali Exits Archery Competition
Elsewhere, Aisha Al Ali was eliminated from the women’s individual archery competition in the round of 16.
She suffered a 4-6 defeat to Hsin-Tzu Hsu of Chinese Taipei, after previously defeating Jennifer Maia da Cruz of Timor-Leste in the opening round.
In the men’s individual trap event, Sheikh Mohammed bin Dalmook Al Maktoum finished 21st, while Yahya Al Muhairi placed 24th.
The results came as UAE athletes continued their participation across multiple sports at the Nagoya Asian Games.
UAE Has Two Medals at Nagoya Games
The UAE has so far won two medals at the Asian Games.
Sulaiman Abdulrahman opened the UAE’s medal account with a silver in the men’s 400m, clocking 44.99 seconds on Friday.
On Sunday, 18-year-old Mariam Kareem delivered a historic performance in the women’s 400m hurdles. She broke the Games record with a time of 54.31 seconds to win the gold medal.
The UAE will now look to add to its medal tally as competition continues in Nagoya.