Ratchanok’s success buoys Thai title hopes
Ratchanok Intanon will try to make it back-to-back titles at this week’s Indonesia Masters.
The 22-year-old Thai won the Malaysia Masters crown on Sunday after beating topranked Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan 21-16, 14-21, 24-22.
World No.5 Ratchanok showed nerves of steel to hold off two match points and defeat the Taiwanese to claim the title at the World Tour 500 (formerly Superseries) event in Kuala Lumpur.
In the first round of the Indonesia Masters, also a World Tour 500 tournament, fourth-seeded Ratchanok will face world No.11 Zhang Beiwen of the US.
Tai, who faces Canada’s Michelle Li in the opening round, is in the other half of the draw, so she can only meet Ratchanok again in the final of the US$350,000 (approximately 11 million baht) event in Jakarta.
World No.12 Nitchaon Jindapol, who won the Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters earlier this month, will begin her campaign against No.13 Sayaka Sato of Japan.
If the Thai wins, she could meet compatriot Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the second round.
However, world No.23 Busanan may need her top form to get past the first round in which she meets world No.6 and fifth seed Sung Ji-Hyun of South Korea.
Meanwhile, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand, praised Ratchanok for her mental strength against Tai in the Malaysia Masters showdown.
“Her heart is as hard as a diamond,” Patama said.
With Ratchanok and Nitchaon’s triumphs, the Thai women’s team should be a medal contender at the Uber Cup to be held in Bangkok in May, she said.
Thai players should also have high chances of winning medals at the Asian Games to be held in Indonesia in August, Patama said.
In another development, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, the men’s top player, reiterated his call for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to review a new tournament ruling that will require players to compete in more matches.
“I would like to play 10 years more, so if the BWF wants to give us a fine for taking care of our bodies, then that’s their decision. But I don’t see it as the right way to do it,” he said after winning the Malaysia Masters title.
Players must now take part in 12 tournaments a year, an additional two from the previous structure.