Ace Ratchanok handed a ‘tough’ draw
Top-ranked mixed doubles duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai and world No.8 women’s singles star Ratchanok Intanon lead the local challenge at the star-studded Thailand Open.
The US$360,000 tournament at Muang Thong Thani’s Impact Arena in Nonthaburi started yesterday but most big-name stars including the Thai trio begin their campaigns today.
Seventh seed Ratchanok faces Indian qualifier Ashmita Chaliha in the first round.
Ratchanok is slated to meet world No.4 An Se-Young, who helped South Korea win the Uber Cup at the same venue last week, in the quarter-finals.
If the Thai gets past the first hurdle, she will take on China’s world No.15 Wang Zhiyi or Germany’s Yvonne Li in the second round.
“It’s a tough path for me as I could face An Se-Young and Wang Zhiyi,” she said.
“But I saw them play in the Uber Cup and have done my homework so I am ready to meet them. I aim to reach at least the quarter-finals.”
In another women’s first round match today, Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan is up against Japanese world No.1 Akane Yamaguchi.
The tournament features several other top players including Tai Tzuying of Taiwan, Chen Yufei from China, Japan’s Nazomi Okuhara and India’s PV Sindhu.
Dechapol and Sapsiree are seen as hot favourites to win the mixed doubles crown on home soil.
They claimed three consecutive titles at the same venue in January last year.
The men’s singles competition is led by top-ranked Viktor Axelsen and world No.3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark, Japan’s Kento Momota and Kidambi Srikanth who helped India record a historic win in the Thomas Cup final last week.
The Thai men’s team are led by Kataphon Wangcharoen who takes on India’s Sai Praneeth in the opening round. The winner is likely to face Momota in the second round.
Tickets are on sale at Thai Ticket Major outlets and www.thaiticketmajor.com.