Nichaon stuns 6th seed in Indian Open
Play
Unfancied Nichaon Jindapon upset Japanese sixth seed Eriko Hirose 24-22 21-16 to join Thai No 1 Ratchanok Intanon in the quarter-finals of the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open on Thursday.
Nichaon produced 43 winners throughout the 41-minute battle with world No 11 Hirose in the women’s singles second round while compatriot world No 6 Ratchanok had a much easier time handling Hong Kong’s Tsz Ka Chan 21-6 21-9.
In men’s action, seventh-seeded Boonsak Ponsana won an all-Thai showdown against the Kingdom’s No 2 player Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 21-12 21-10.
Maneepong Jongjit, the London Olympics doubles quarter-finalist, and Nipitphun Puangpuapech narrowly beat Chris Adcock and Andrew Ellis of Britain 16-21 21-13 21-19 in the men’s doubles second round.
In women’s doubles, fifth-seeded Duanganong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul needed three games to move past Japan’s Yki Fukushima and Reika Kakiiwa 21-12 19-21 21-16. Former world No 1 mixed doubles team Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam, seeded fourth, eased past Indian Diju V and Jwala Gutta 21-17 21-10.
