Rampaging Ratchanok stuns China's No 1

Fresh from winning a SEA Games silver for Thailand, the 16-year-old three-time world junior champion showed hot form in battling to a nail-biting 21-18 21-19 second-round win over All England champion Wang, who was in tears at the end of the match. The victory levelled their head-to-head record at 1-1. 

Ratchanok was due to take on another home player, Li Xuerui, who cruised past Pui Yin Yip of Hong Kong 21-11 21-10. 

Thailand’s mixed doubles pair of Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul also won through their second-round match, with a fiercely contested 22-20 22-20 victory over German pairing Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels. The Thais next face Peng Soon Chan and Liu Ying Goh of Malaysia, who upset the Chinese No 2 seeds in a tough three-setter, 21-14 11-21 21-16.

Thailand’s second mixed duo, Maneepong Jongjit and Savitree Amitapong, have a date with Danish pair Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen in the quarter-finals.