Maldives Take on Experienced Opposition in Men’s Singles
The Maldives continued its participation in the table tennis competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, with Mohamed Shaffaan Ismail and Moosa Munsif Ahmed competing in the men’s singles against opponents from Thailand and Iran.
Shaffaan faced Thailand’s Sayayut Tancharoen and responded strongly after conceding the opening game 11–8. The Maldivian player secured the second 11–9 to draw level before pushing the third beyond the regulation 11 points. Tancharoen eventually edged the closely contested game 13–11.
With the momentum in his favour, the Thai player went on to take the fourth and fifth games 11–3 and 11–3, completing a 4–1 victory.
Munsif, meanwhile, faced Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan, an established international competitor who won the men’s singles bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games—ending Iran’s 52-year wait for an Asian Games table tennis medal.
Alamiyan secured the opening game 11–2 before extending his advantage with scores of 11–7 and 11–6. Munsif offered his strongest resistance in the fourth game, but the Iranian closed out the contest 11–8 to complete a 4–0 victory.
The Maldives will return to the table tomorrow in the men’s doubles, while Aishath Rafaa Nazim will contest the second round of the women’s singles following her 4–2 comeback victory over Bangladesh’s Nawrin Mahi.
