TITLE SHOT
Ratchanok faces Marin in Indonesia Masters decider
Ratchanok Intanon will be aiming to win her first title of the year today after booking her berth in the women’s singles final of the US$400,000 Indonesia Masters title in Jakarta yesterday.
The Thai fourth seed overcame some nervous moments to beat Chinese youngster Wang Zhiyi 21-12, 23-21 and avenge last week’s loss in the last 16 round at the Malaysia Masters.
Standing in the way is triple world champion Carolina Marin, who is looking to bury her painful memories of last year’s tournament when she suffered a careerthreatening knee injury during the final against Saina Nehwal.
The Spaniard moved to within one step of a triumphant return to the BWF World Tour Super 500 event as she outplayed China’s He Bingjiao 21-11, 21-19 to earn her second successive trip to the final.
“As I said from the first day, it’s really special, this tournament for me. To be in the final will motivate myself, that tomorrow I want to show everything is in the past, that
I want to keep looking forward, and I want to win this title,” said Marin.
In the men’s singles event, Anthony Ginting, the 2018 champion, will have the chance to reclaim his title after beating Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 22-20, 21-11.
The Indonesian will be up against Danish holder Anders Antonsen, who cruised past Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong 21-9, 21-15.
Indonesia will also have a local pair in the women’s doubles final as Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu outplayed Kim So-Yeong and Kong Hee-Yong of South Korea 21-19, 21-15.
They will play Maiken Fruergaard and Sara Thygesen in the final after the Danish duo defeated Japan’s Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi 22-20, 22-20.
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue’s memorable run came to an end in the mixed doubles semifinals at the hands of Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping.
The French pair, playing in their first top-tier semi-final, were defeated 21-19, 21-16.
It will be yet another final between the top two Chinese pairs as world champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong comfortably repelled the challenge of Malaysia’s Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing 21-15, 21-15 in the other half.
The top seeds are in line for their third straight title, while Wang and Huang will hope to reverse the tide after losing both their previous finals to their compatriots.
Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan made their second Indonesia Masters final, beating
Indonesian compatriots Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 21-12, 18-21, 21-17.
They will face compatriots Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sukamuljo, who beat Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, in the final.