Ratchanok gets formidable foes in World Tour Finals
Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon will face Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the group stage of the BWF World Tour Finals 2018 in Guangzhou following yesterday’s draw.
The other two players in Group B of the women’s singles competition are China’s Chen Yufei and Canada’s Michelle Li.
Group A looks tougher, featuring topranked Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi and India’s PV Sindhu.
Okuhara holds a 5-4 career record against Ratchanok who has lost to the Japanese twice this year in Indonesia and in the Hong Kong Open final last month.
While Ratchanok has beaten Li four times in five meetings, the Canadian shocked the Thai in the opening round at this year’s All England Open.
Ratchanok has defeated Chen only once in eight meetings.
There are five categories at t he US$1.5 million tournament which begins tomorrow.
The top two players or pairs of each group advance to the semi-finals with the finals taking place on Sunday.
World No.8 Ratchanok is targeting a semi-final spot at the Guangzhou tournament while also setting her sights on the elusive title.
Ratchanok said she will try to have a good run in Guangzhou to improve her year-end world ranking but added the ultimate goal would be to win the title.
“My fitness level is great. I’m ready. I hope to at least get to the semis but of course winning the year-end title will be great,” she said.
In the men’s singles of the World Tour Finals, Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen is in Group B with world champion Kento Momota of Japan, Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia and India’s Sameer Verma.
In Group A are Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan, China’s Shi Yuqi, South Korea’s Son Wan-Ho and Anthony Ginting of Indonesia.
In the women’s doubles, Thai duo Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai are in Group B with Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (Japan), Lee So-Hee/Shin Seung-Chan (South Korea) and Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria).
Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Japan), Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia), Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan (China) and Du Yue/Li Yinhui (China) are in Group A.
In the mixed doubles, Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai are in Group A with Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong (China), Goh Soon Huat/ Shevon Jemie Lai (Malaysia) and Marcus Ellis/Lauren Smith (England).