Eight Thais shuttle into quarter-finals

Qualifier and world No 37 Tanongsak pulled off a stunning 21-9 21-11 victory over world No 10 Japanese Sho Sasaki, who upset former world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the first round. Tanongsak was to take on Tommy Sugiarto late last night. 

Earlier, Boonsak Ponsana, current world No 15 and the Singapore Open winner, crashed to a first-round 18-21 21-10 21-15 defeat against world No 2 and second seed Chen Long of China.

In the women’s singles, 18-year-old Ratchanok, better known as Nong May, ousted Nichaon Jindapon 21-18 21-17 in an all-Thai second-round battle to set up a clash with old foe Juliane Schenk. Ratchanok has beaten the German world No 4 in the last three of the six matches they played last year including at the London Olympics and the BWF Superseries Finals.

Fellow Thai Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, world No 11, fell victim to Indonesia’s Lindawen Fanetri 14-21 10-21 in the second round.

The men’s doubles saw fast-improving Thais Maneepong Jongjit/Nipitphon Puangpuapech shock world No 2 and second seed Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia 21-17 21-18. The upset win was sweet revenge for Maneepong, who partnered Bodin Issara to go down to the Malaysian duo in the London Games. Maneepong and Nipitphon were due to face world No 74 Chen Hung Ling/Lu Chia Bin of Taiwan last night.

In the women’s doubles, eighth seeds and No 10 Duanganong Aroonkesorn/Kunchala Worawichitchaikul powered past Koreans Choi Hye-in and Kim So-young 21-18 21-17 and next face Chinese qualifiers Cheng Shu and Zhao Yuniel.

Long-time mixed doubles team Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam, world No 6 and sixth seeds, were due to take on the Indonesian brother-sister duo Markis Kido and Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth in the quarter-finals. In the second round earlier on Thursday, the Thai duo, who last year captured the Indonesian Open, outclassed Malaysians Ong Jian Guo/Lim Yin Loo 21-14 21-13.