Ratchanok makes magnificent recovery
Ratchanok Intanon, Kunlavut Vitidsarn and mixed doubles stars Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai moved into the quarter-finals of the US$675,000 Malaysia Open at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Eighth seed Ratchanok recovered to defeat Zhang Beiwen of the United States 15-21, 21-12, 21-18 in the women’s singles last 16 round of the World Tour Super 750 event.
The Thai ace will next face China’s Han Yue, who caused the day’s big upset when she ousted third seed An Se-Young of South Korea 21-23, 21-18, 21-16.
Men’s singles rising star Kunlavut defeated India’s Kashyap Parupalli 21-19, 21-10 and will play China’s Lu Guangzu, who beat Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan 21-18, 21-11.
Mixed doubles top seeds Dechapol and Sapsiree proved too strong for fellow Thais Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran as the top-seeded pair won in two games 21-18, 21-14.
They will play sixth seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong in the last eight today.
Two other women’s singles players Phittayaporn Chaiwan and Busanan Ongbamrungphan crashed out yesterday. Phittayaporn took the first game against seventh seed Pusarla V Sindhu of India but her challenge faded in the second and third in a 21-19, 9-21, 14-21 loss.
Fourth seed Chen Yufei of China was too good for Busanan as the Tokyo Olympic champion prevailed in two games 21-12, 21-19. Chen will meet sixth seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the quarters today.
Another men’s singles player Sitthikom Thammasin also went out after losing to sixth seed Anthony Ginting of Indonesia 18-21, 18-21.
Men’s doubles pair Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren also bowed out. They lost to Choi Sol-Gyu and Kim Won-Ho of South Korea 21-18, 11-21, 23-25.
In other notable results, men’s top seed Viktor Axelsen edged past Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong 15-21, 21-6, 21-13 while second seed Kento Momota of Japan also needed three games to beat Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong 11-21, 21-8, 21.
In the women’s single event, second seed Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan eased past Kristine Kuuba of Estonia 21-11, 21-9 while China’s Wang Zhiyi beat Gregoria Tunjung of Indonesia 21-19, 21-13.