Spanish number one Pablo Abian has been a regular feature for his country and today he marked his fourth Olympic Games with an impressive win.
If asking any players or fans to describe Abian to someone who does not know, the first words will almost certainly be about his fighting spirit. When drawn against him, you will always be in for a tough battle. This is perhaps the foundation of his career’s longevity – he never gives up.
The 36-year-old took part in Beijing, London, Rio and today he marked his fourth Games in Tokyo with a one-sided victory over Estonia’s Raul Must, 21-7, 21-11 in less the half an hour of play.
-Today I played very confident and was comfortable on court. Raul (Must) wasn’t playing his best; he’s a very good player. But it was important for me to win today.
Must, who hadn’t played Abian since 2016 echoed Abian’s observation that he wasn’t at his best.
-It was a difficult match and I didn’t feel confident on court today. That was it. I was happy to have qualified for the Olympics and it’s been a hard, difficult year. I would say I’m not the happiest, but I’m not so disappointed either. But the experience was good.
Chen Long is next
The 2015 European Games gold medallist will now have a straight shootout against the defending Olympic champion, Chen Long. Abian in fact lost one fewer point against Must than Chen Long, but know he’s in for a hard match.
-I had to be focused and ready for every point. I know that I have prepared well with my coach. Against Chen Long it will be very tough. But I think I will be ready to fight.