Ratchanok in race to be fit for Thailand's quarter-final

Thailand, ranked world No 4, pulled off an impressive 3-2 victory over Hong Kong on Sunday and were confirmed as quarter-finalists when South Korea sent Hong Kong to their second straight defeat, 4-1, on Monday. Thailand were due to take on the formidable Koreans for top spot in Group 1B late yesterday, with young talent Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk set to replace world No 8 Boonsak Ponsana in the men’s singles.

Nichaon Jindapol has also received an urgent call to join the Thai team in Malaysia as a replacement for Ratchanok, who needs to rest her troublesome thigh and ankle.

Surasak Songvarakulpan, secretary-general of the Badminton Association, said that the decision to replace the injured Ratchanok with Nichaon would give the India Open champion a three-day rest in a bid to get her back fit for the quarter-finals on Friday. Ratchanok, however, is uncertain whether she will be fit in time for the knock-out round, but confirmed that she had not withdrawn from the competition.

According to the Thai team’s physiologist, Ratchanok is 70-80 per cent recovered. If she loses her race for fitness, she is set to return to Thailand for treatment. 

Three major competitions await the teenage ace next month, when she will test her mettle in the Thailand Open from June 4 to 9, at the Indonesia Open between June 10 and 16 and at the Singapore Open from June 18 to 23.

 

China crush arch-rivals Indonesia

Defending champions China trounced arch-rivals Indonesia 5-0 to top Group A of the Sudirman Cup yesterday, declaring they are ready to face anyone in today’s quarter-final.

The Chinese have won the biennial tournament eight times and are chasing their fifth consecutive title.

After yesterday’s matches, Chinese coach Li Yongbo said his team is ready to meet anyone in the last eight.

“Anyone will do. It doesn’t matter. We are ready to face anyone,” the 50-year-old said.

Former champions Indonesia, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, underdogs Taiwan and Thailand have also qualified for the quarter-finals with a last space left for either European champions Germany or hosts Malaysia.

China and Indonesia earlier qualified for the quarter-finals by beating India 5-0 and 4-1 respectively in their group.

The top two teams of each group move on to the quarter-finals. All group winners will be seeded when the draw for the quarter-finals takes place after the last matches on Tuesday.

China’s Li also sprung to the defence of Olympic champion Li Xuerui, who surprisingly dropped a game before beating Indonesia’s Aprilia Yuswandari 13-21 21-4, 21-11.

“She is making her debut in a team event and was a little nervous,” he said. “Though she took a little longer to settle down, it was one-way traffic in the next two games after dropping the first.”