Thailand will be well represented in the semi-finals of the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals on Saturday, but the country’s highest-profile player won’t be among the contenders.
Ratchanok Intanon was dumped out of the badminton showcase after suffering another defeat to Tai Tzu-ying on Friday.
The Thai top seed and world No.5 won the first game 25-23 before her longtime Taiwanese rival came back to even the match with a 21-12 victory and then clinch the decider 21-9.
The defeat ends Ratchanok's campaign in the first round, leaving Pornpawee Chochuwong as the only Thai in the semi-finals of the women’s singles.
Pornpawee, who upset Ratchanok in their first match on Wednesday, lost to Pusarla V Sindhu of India 18-21, 15-21 on Friday. But she was already through to the next round after defeating world No.1 Tai on Thursday. Pornpawee is ranked 13th in the world.
In the women’s doubles, The Thai pair Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai went through to the semi-finals after defeating Linda Efler and Isabel Herttrich of Germany 21-13, 21-14.
Also advancing were Thailand’s mixed doubles stars, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattnachai, who needed just 36 minutes to dispatch Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith of England 21-12, 21-11 in a must-win match on Friday evening.
The tournament, the last of three events being staged without fans at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, ends on Sunday.