Kuncoro, Ratchanok win Singapore Open
SINGAPORE: Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro beat Korean Son Wan-Ho to win the Singapore Open Sunday as Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon also triumphed, becoming the world’s top female shuttler in the process.
The unfancied Kuncoro, who stunned two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan in the semifinals, took the first set 21-16.
But some bad decision making cost the 31-year-old dearly when he succumbed 13-21 in the second set.
Recovering his composure, the 2004 Olympic Games bronze medallist claimed the deciding set 21-14.
Kuncoro, ranked 56th in the world, said he was surprised by his fairytale run.
“It’s really unexpected that I won. It’s such a big achievement to pass the qualifiers and eventually win this tournament,” he said.
“I just enjoyed today’s game and was able to play well.”
This is Kuncoro’s second title in the city-state after winning the tournament in 2010.
In the women’s singles, Thai star Ratchanok beat defending champion Sun Yu of China to claim her third successive Superseries win in as many weeks after triumphs in India and Malaysia.
Ratchanok, the 2013 world champion, will displace Spain’s Carolina Marin as number one when the weekly world rankings are updated Thursday.
Despite losing 18-21 in the first set as the lanky Sun Yu put her superior reach to better use, Ratchanok coasted to a 2111 victory in the second.
She clinched the third set 2114 as her opponent appeared rattled by several errors and a yellow card shown by the match referee.
“I think I performed better in the first set but I got nervous during the last two,” Sun Yu, ranked 14th in the world, told reporters after the match.
Ratchanok, who has now established herself as one of the favourites for Olympic gold, said the win would give her a boost for Rio.
“Now I am more confident to get a gold at the Olympic games,” she said.
“I thought that today would not be my day and she was playing well. My body was tired from the past few weeks but I just wanted to do my best.”
Top-ranked players were scalped early on in the tournament.