Kantapon moves on as Ratchanok makes exit at All England
Thai No 2 and world No 18 Kantapon Wangcharoen won a hard-fought battle but Ratchanok Intanon bowed out of the All England Open in Birmingham on Wednesday.
Ratchanok Intanon / Badminton Photo
Kantapon were extended into three tough games before he pipped the 28th-ranked Taiwanese Wang Tzu Wei 23-21 14-21 22-20 in the men’s singles first round. He will play top seed and world champion Kento Momota of Japan, a 21-13 21-7 winner over world No 16 Khosit Phetpradab.
On the women’s side, Ratchanok, finalist in 2013 and 2017, was knocked out in the first round by world No 25 Chen Xiaoxin of China 21-23 24-22 21-14.
Thai No 2 and world No 18 Nitchaon Jindapol lost to world No 12 Beiwen Zhang of the US 17-21 14-21.
The only THai woman to survive the opening round was Pornpawee Chochuwong who beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-18 21-8.
In mixed doubles, world No 4 Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai beat Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo of Japan 21-11 21-15.
