Mixed fortunes for shuttlers at China Open
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Thailand's mixed duo of Maneepong Jongjit and Savitree Amitapong battled hard to advance to the quarter-finals of the US$350,000 China Open in Shanghai yesterday, while compatriot and SEA Games bronze medalist Porntip Buranaprasertsuk tasted defeat.
Maneepong and Savitree were pushed to the limit by the counter-attacking approach of Mads Pieler Kolding and Julie Houmann before emerging 21-12 22-20 victors and improving their head-to-head record against the Danes to 1-1.
The win booked the Thai duo a place in the quarter-finals, where they will challenge another Danish pairing of Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen, 21-14 21-14 winners over Indians Valiyaveetil Diju and Jwala Gutta.
Thailand earlier suffered a blow when Pornthip Buranaprasertsuk, fresh from taking the women’s singles bronze in the Southeast Asian Games, was hustled to an early exit by third seed Wang Xin of China. Pornthip fought well in the opening game to go down 21-19 in a hotly-contested battle, but found the Chinese too strong, going down 21-10 in the second game.
Thailand’s other mixed pairing of Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul were due to take on Germans Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels last night, while current three-time world junior champion and the SEA Games silver medallist Ratchanok Intanon was up against top seed and world No 1 Wang Shixian of China in the women singles second round.
