Ratchanok battles into HK final

Ratchanok battles into HK final

Ratchanok Intanon hits a return against Sung Ji-hyun during their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Open on Saturday. (AFP Photo)
Ratchanok Intanon hits a return against Sung Ji-hyun during their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Open on Saturday. (AFP Photo)

HONG KONG: Ratchanok Intanon bounced back from a first-game meltdown on Saturday to book a place in the final of the Hong Kong Open badminton tournament.

The Thai world No.8, who is seeded sixth in Hong Kong this week, prevailed in three sets in her semi-final match with South Korea’s Sung Ji-hyun, 10-21, 21-11, 21-17.

Ratchanok, who blitzed second-ranked Akane Yamaguchi in straight sets in the quarter-finals, will face either Taiwanese world number one Tai Tzu-ying or Nozomi Okuhara of Japan on Sunday.

The former world champion stayed well clear of her opponent through the second game on Saturday as Sung struggled to catch up in the third, levelling at 12 and 15 before succumbing to Ratchanok’s powerful smash.

One more tie at 17 was enough to focus the Thai, who swept the last four points of the decider.

“Sometimes I played slow but it’s not like I have no power,” she said afterward. “Mentality is more important. … Sometimes it wasn’t my game but I tried to more enjoy the game. Today I feel like I controlled the pressure.”

Tenth-ranked Sung had a strong run through the tournament, knocking out seeded opponents PV Sindhu of India and China’s He Bingjao.

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