ZCZC
BSP-05
SOUTH-KOREAN-BADMINTON
South Korean badminton players heartbreak in Thailand Open semis
BANGKOK, Jan. 17, 2021 (BSS/Xinhua) – Shuttlers from Hong Kong of China
and Chinese Taipei delighted in the men’s and women’s singles semifinals at
the Thailand Open on Saturday, stopping top contenders from South Korea from
making it into the finals.
Top-ranked women’s singles shuttler Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei
marched into the Thailand Open final after winning 21-8, 23-21 over Mia
Blichfeldt. She will next face former world No. 1 Carolina Marin from Spain,
who defeated South Korea’s An Se Young 21-18, 21-16.
“I think I wasn’t feeling confident today. What I have learned today about
my opponent is that I need to be faster. I guess these learnings come with
more experience,” the 18-year-old South Korean reflected on her match with
Marin.
In the men’s draw, world No. 8 Ng Ka Long Angus from Hong Kong, China
surprisingly defeated world No. 2 Chou Tien Chen, representing Chinese
Taipei, in an intensely fought match 17-21, 21-18, 21-15.
Ng Ka Long Angus will meet Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in the men’s singles
final after the latter beat Anthony Sinisuka Ginting from Indonesia.
In the women’s doubles final on Sunday, Indonesians Greysia Polii and
Apriyani Rahayu, the winning pair over Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan from
South Korea, will vie for the title against Jongkolphan Kititharakul and
Rawinda Prajongjai from Thailand, who defeated South Korean Kim So Yeong and
Kong Hee Yong in the semis.
The men’s doubles final will pit Malaysia’s Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong
against Chinese Taipei’s Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin, winners over Leo Rolly
Carnando/Daniel Marthin from Indonesia and Choi SolGyu/Seo Seung Jae from
South Korea respectively in the semifinals.
Thai pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, knocking out
South Korea’s Seo Seung Jae and Chae YuJung in the semifinal, will meet
Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti in the mixed doubles final after
the Indonesians defeated Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue from France.
In light of a new surge of COVID-19 cases in Thailand, leading players
from China and Japan withdrew from the Jan. 12-17 tournament.
BSS/Xinhua/MSY/1052 hrs