FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Super duo survives home players’ horror show as world No1s withdraw from Thailand Open 

Super duo survives home players’ horror show as world No1s withdraw from Thailand Open 

The Kingdom’s No 1 doubles duo Jongkolphan Kittitharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai redeemed Thai pride after several local hopes were shown the exit on Tuesday, as the Toyota Thailand Open got underway at Bangkok’s Hua Mark Indoor Stadium.

The world No 11 women’s pairing eased past Malaysia’s Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean 21-14 21-17 in the first round of the World Tour Super 500 tournament.
However it was a disappointing day for other Thais, including freshly crowned Asian junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Hit by jet-lag after returning from the Asian Junior Championship in China, where he won the boys’ singles gold medal and the mixed team gold medal for Thailand last week, the world No 1 junior looked listless as he was outfought by three-time Asian champion Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia 21-19 21-19 in the men’s qualifying competition.

Super duo survives home players’ horror show as world No1s withdraw from Thailand Open  Kunlavut Vitidsarn


“I just returned from China on Monday and still feel exhausted. But Sony really wore me down out there by playing some great rallies,” said Thailand’s two-time world junior champion.
Also bowing out was former Thai No 1 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, beaten 17-21 21-10 21-12 by China’s Ren Peng Bo.
In other women’s doubles opening round action, January’s Thailand Masters winners Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai were dumped out by top seeded Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara of Japan 21-14 13-21 21-6. Chayanit Chaladchalam and Phataimas Muenwong, runners-up in 2017, were toppled by eighth-seeded Du Yue and Li Yin Hui of China 21-11 21-12.
The singles action starts on Wednesday with sixth-seeded Ratchanok Intanon the top Thai hope in the women’s competition. The two-time former champion will open her campaign against Yvonne Li of Germany.
In a blow to the tournament, Japan’s world No 1s Kento Momota and Akane Yamaguchi withdrew from the men’s and women’s singles, citing injuries. Both won Japan Open titles on Sunday.

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