Nagoya:The Qatari padel team, represented by Rashid Nawaf and Mashari Nawaf, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the padel competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan. The team secured a decisive victory over Kuwait's Abdulaziz Redha and Fouad Behbehani with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in the round-of-16.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Qatari duo, considered among the most prominent padel players in Asia, are determined to continue their winning streak and aim for a top spot and a medal. Tareq Darwish Zainal, President of the Asian Padel Federation and Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Padel and Badminton Federation, expressed gratitude for the victory and congratulated the players on their performance and spirit.
Zainal emphasized the significance of reaching this stage and expressed optimism about their chances of competing for the gold medal. He also extended his gratitude to HE President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, for his support in including padel in the Asian Games, marking a pivotal moment for the sport.
Qatari player Rashid Nawaf highlighted the importance of their win against Kuwait, noting the challenging nature of the match as they advanced in the competition.
In other events, the Qatari volleyball team is set to face Japan in the quarterfinals, after finishing second in Pool C. The team aims to advance to the semifinals despite the challenge of playing against the host nation. Meanwhile, the Qatari wrestling team continues their campaign, with wrestler Shaheen Mohammed competing in the 77-kilogram Greco-Roman category against Tajikistan's Alisher Rozimadov.
Qatari wrestler Aref Mohamedi advanced to the quarterfinals in the 67-kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling competition before being defeated by Kyrgyzstan's Razzak Beshikiev, concluding his run in the event.
In shooting, Mohammed Al Rumaihi and Ray Bassil won a silver medal in the mixed trap event, contributing to Qatar's successful medal tally in shooting with two golds and two silvers so far. The shooting competition will wrap up with the men's 25-meter rapid-fire pistol event, featuring Qatari shooter Mohammed Nasser Al Yafei.
The Qatari beach volleyball team, featuring Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, has reached the semifinals after defeating the Iranian team. They are set to compete against Thailand next.
The Qatari delegation celebrated its medal-winning athletes at Qatar House in Nagoya, honoring achievements in weightlifting, handball, and shooting over the past two days.