Fathimath Nabaha (Naba) has described her historic run at the Badminton Asia Championship as a major milestone for Maldivian badminton after becoming the first player from the country to reach the Round of 32 of the continental tournament in China.

Competing in the women’s singles event, Naba produced a flawless group-stage performance, winning both of her matches in straight sets to progress with a perfect record.

She opened her campaign with a commanding 21-7, 21-17 victory over Bangladesh’s Urmi Akter, showcasing composure and attacking control. She followed that with an even more dominant display against Kyrgyzstan’s Zhasmin Aisarova, sealing a convincing 21-5, 21-6 win to top her group.

Her progression marked a historic first for Maldivian badminton, with Naba becoming the first player to reach the Round of 32 at the championship while maintaining an unbeaten group-stage record.

In the knockout stage, she faced one of the world’s top players, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Despite a strong effort, Naba was defeated 21-5, 21-9 by the world number four, bringing an end to her impressive run.

Reflecting on the tournament, Naba highlighted the significance of her achievement, noting that reaching the Round of 32 not only represented a personal breakthrough but also earned valuable ranking points towards her long-term Olympic ambitions. She also emphasised the intensity of the competition, having played five matches in a single day across multiple events, and expressed pride in her overall performance.

She described facing Yamaguchi for the second time as a valuable experience, underlining the importance of competing against world-class players to accelerate development and growth.

Naba also acknowledged the role of her support system, crediting coach Nashfan Mohamed and Revival Sports for their continuous guidance and commitment to her progress.

Naba was part of a three-player Maldivian contingent at the championship, alongside Zayan Zaki and Aminath Nabeeha (Naby), with the team competing across men’s singles, women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

In women’s doubles, Naba and Naby faced a challenging group, losing 21-8, 21-9 to Singapore’s Te Andre and Tio Ange, and then falling 21-16, 21-13, 21-11 against Sri Lanka’s Hasini and Hasara in a three-set encounter.

In mixed doubles, the pairing of Naba and Zayan were defeated by Bangladesh’s Jumar and Urmi Akter in straight sets, 21-14, 21-14, 21-8.

Zayan also exited the men’s singles competition after losses to Sri Lanka’s Viren Nettasinghe (21-8, 21-7) and Macau’s Pui Pang (21-7, 21-10).

Revival Sports continues to invest in international exposure for its athletes, with coach Nashfan Mohamed accompanying the squad in China as part of the club’s long-term high-performance development programme.

Despite the mixed results across events, Naba’s historic achievement stands as a defining moment, highlighting the growing presence and potential of Maldivian badminton on the Asian stage.