Timely boost for on-song ace Ratchanok
Thai shuttler storms into Indonesia Open final
Thai badminton star Ratchanok Intanon’s confidence is boosted ahead of the SEA Games after she reached the Indonesia Open final yesterday.
The reigning Asian champion Ratchanok, who is seeded sixth in Jakarta, beat Chinese fifth seed Wang Shixian 21-19, 21-13 in the women’s singles semi-finals.
In today’s final, the Thai, who won the world title in 2013, will face China’s eighth seed Wang Yihan or Japan’s Yui Hashimoto.
Ratchanok will play only in the team event at the SEA Games in Singapore because she will have to play for her Chinese club and in Olympic ranking point tournaments.
Without Ratchanok, Busanan Ongbamrungpan is Thailand’s top female player in the women’s singles at the Singapore SEA Games.
Meanwhile, Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, Thailand’s top male player, is aiming to prove his gold medal showing at the last SEA Games was no fluke as he bids to defend his title in Singapore.
The 25-year-old won Thailand’s first men’s singles gold medal at the SEA Games in 38 years at the 2013 Myanmar Games, beating Indonesian Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka in the final.
“The Games don’t offer any ranking points, but it is still a game of great honour,” he said.
“Everybody wants to win at the SEA Games. My gold medal last time was the first time for Thailand in 38 years.”
Tanongsak said his game was in good shape ahead of the June 5-16 biennial multi-sport event for the 11-nation Southeast Asian block.
“My strong point is my offensive style. I’ll try to improve on that and I’ll try to fix my weak points as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, for Lee Chong Wei, the 28th edition of the SEA Games presents a different kind of opportunity, still very close to home.
The Malaysian, a former world No.1 player, is using the regional event as part of a return to competition from a doping ban that has derailed his preparations for the 2016 Olympics and cost him a world championship silver medal.
He will be competing in the team event and said he was desperate to win the gold medal for his country.