Nitchapon finds her second wind in Singapore
Second seed Nitchaon Jindapol brushed aside a sluggish home result from the last week Thailand Open to reach her third semi-final of the year in the Singapore Open on Friday.
The world No 12 was briefly tested by the 63rd ranked opponent Chen Su Yu of Taiwan before she prevailed 25-23 21-16 in 46 minutes in the women’s singles quarter-finals.
It was a rebound for the 27-year-old who crashed out in the first round of the home tournament last week.
Nitchaon has reached three semi-finals this year, winning the Princess Cup at home in January and the last four at the Germany Open in March, when she lost to Chen Yufei of China 21-19 21-13.
The victory set up a semi-final showdown with Chinese seventh seed Gao Fangjie, a 21-14 21-16 winner over Cai Yanyan.
Other winners on Friday included Thailand’s top women’s doubles players, Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, who survived a late resistance from Chinese Tang Jinhua and Yu Xiaohan before advancing with a 21-19 26-24 victory.
The Thai pair made back-to-back semi-finals after reaching this stage last week in Bangkok. They will play Ayako Sakuramoto and Yukiko Takahata of Japan, who ousted Chayanit Chaladchalam and Phathaimas Muenwong of Thailand 21-16 21-17.
In the mixed doubles quarter-finals, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai rallied to beat Chang Tak Ching and Ng Wing Yung of Hong Kong 18-21 21-8 21-16.
They will face second seeds Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie of Malaysia on Saturday.
In the men’s doubles, 2012 Olympic quarter-finalists Maneepong Jongjit and Bodin Isara had to withdraw from the competition as Bodin had a left knee injury, sending the Indonesian pair of Angga Pratama and Rian Agung Saputro into the semis. Tinn Isriyanet and Kittisak Namdash went down to Indonesian Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan 21-19 21-19.
