KUALA LUMPUR - Thailand beat Japan 3-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Sudirman Cup mixed badminton team tournament on Thursday night.
Ratchanok Inthanon celebrates after defeating Japan's Sayaka Takahashi at their quarterfinals match of the Sudirman Cup world mixed team badminton championships in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. (AP Photo)
Teenager Ratchanok Intanon sealed the winning point for Thailand with a 21-19, 9-21, 21-19 victory over Sayaka Takahashi in the women's singles.
Mixed doubles pair Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam and men's doubles duo Maneepong Jongjit and Nipitphon Puangpuapech also got points for Thailand.
Sudket and Saralee beat Hirokatsu Hashimoto and Miyuki Maeda 21-19, 21-9, while Maneepong and Nipitphon defeated Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa 27-25, 21-16.
However, Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, who replaced unfit Boonsak Ponsana, lost to Kenichi Tago 22-20, 21-18 in the men's singles.
In the semi-finals, Thailand will meet three-time champions South Korea, who beat Germany 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
South Korea beat Thailand 5-0 in the group stage when both sides mainly used second-string players after they both had qualified for the knockout phase.