Momota sees off Boonsak

Boonsak, 33, had kicked off the new season last week with an impressive start at the Korea Open, where he finished third.

Thailand’s Duanganong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikulm, the No 8 seeds, also bit the dust, losing 21-19 19-21 21-6 to China’s Ma Jin and Tang Yuanting in the women’s doubles.

Meanwhile, world champion Ratchanok Intanon crashed out in the first round on Wednesday to world junior champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-18 23-25 21-16.

Ratchanok, who on Sunday finished runner-up to eventual winner Wang Yihan of China in the Korea Open, won the first ever Fox Sports Asian Sporting Icon Award on Monday when she got the majority of votes from fans on the foxsportsasia.com/ASIA website. A total of 16 top Asian athletes were shortlisted by a panel of sports editors and news team from Fox Sports and fans were asked to vote for their favourite athletes. Ratchanok beat big names including boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and soccer player Shinji Kagawa of Japan.

World No 13 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk went down in the men’s singles to Nan Wei of Hong Kong 24-22 19-21 21-19. World No 10 Porntip Buranaprasertsuk withdrew from the women’s singles after trailing world No 1 and top seed Li Xuerui of China 5-1 in the first game. Compatriot and world No 17 Busanan Ongbumrungpan lost 24-22 21-16 to China’s Sunyu.

In the women’s doubles competition, Savitree Amitrapai and Narissapat Lam lost to Indonesia’s Andini Suci Rizky and Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia 19-21 21-15 21-19.