Seoul: Ratchanok Intanon overcame Natalia Koch Rohde 21-14, 22-20 to reach the second round of the US$600,000 Victor Korea Open here yesterday.
Despite the victory, the world No.8 was well below her best and her error-strewn performance against No.41 Rohde must be a cause for concern for the Thai star as she is bidding to win her first Superseries title of the year.
Ratchanok, who is seeded eighth this week, faces Michelle Li today for a place in the quarter-finals after the Hong Kong-born Canadian beat another Thai, Pornpawee Chochuwong, 21-10, 21-11.
Ratchanok, 22, is back in action for the first time since losing in the quarter-finals of the world championships in Glasgow, Scotland, last month.
Japan's defending champion Akane Yamaguchi also came through her first round match as she beat Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia 21-18, 21-15.
Second seed Yamaguchi could meet Ratchanok in the quarter-finals.
Nitchaon Jindapol also made it through with a 21-16, 21-14 win over Chiang Mei Hui of Taiwan earlier in the day. She has a tough task in the second round where she faces fifth seed PV Sindhu after the Indian beat Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong 21-13, 21-6.
Sindhu was the runner-up in Glasgow.
Busanan Ongbamrungphan failed to join her fellow Thais in the second round after losing to Indonesia's gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-13, 9-21, 15-21.
World No.1 Tai Tzu-ying won her opener against Saena Kawakami of Japan 21-19, 21-16. She faces another Japanese Minatsu Mitani in the second round.
In the men's singles, Pannawit Thongnuam rallied to beat Hong Kong's Wei Nan losing 6-21, 21-12, 21-11. Pannawit, who came through a qualifying round, takes on Denmark's Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus today for a place in the quarter-finals.
Eighth seed Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, however, suffered an early exit at the hands of India's Sameer Verma 13-21, 21-23, 9-21.
There are no Thai players left in the women's doubles and men's doubles events.
Jongkolphan Kittitharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, Chayanit Chaladchalam and Phataimas Muenwong, Bodin Isara and Niphitphon Phuangphuapet and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Kittinupong Kedren all lost their openers yesterday.