Three Thai players paraded into the women's singles quarter-finals of the US$850,000 BWF Indonesia Open in Bali on Thursday.
Ratchanok Intanon, Phittayaporn Chaiwan and Pornpawee Chochuwong made it to the last eight of the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event, which is the penultimate tournament of the 2021 season before next week's World Tour Finals.
Women's doubles stars Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai also progressed to the last eight at Bali International Convention Center.
Second seed Ratchanok cruised past Pai Yu-po of Taiwan 21-11, 21-16 and will play Japan's Asuka Takahashi, who denied seventh seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan a chance for an all-Thai clash with a 21-7, 22-20 victory.
Phittayaporn, who upset Ratchanok in the last 16 at the Indonesia Masters last week, ousted eighth seed Sayaka Takahashi of Japan 21-19, 14-21, 21-14.
She has a tough assignment today against Indonesia Masters champion An Se-Young. The Korean fourth seed eased past LeOnice Huet of France 21-8, 21-10 to book her last-eight spot.
Fifth seed Pornpawee then increased the number of Thai players in the quarter-finals to three, beating home hope Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in a 11-21, 21-9, 22-20 thriller.
Pornpawee next faces top seed Akane Yamaguchi after the Japanese star edged Yeo Jia Min of Singapore 21-15, 19-21, 21-14.
Yamaguchi was a runner-up at the Indonesia Masters on Sunday.
Jongkolphan and Rawinda survived a big test against Vivian Hoo and Lim Chiew Sien after the third-seeded duo scraped past the Malaysians 24-26, 21-12, 21-11.
However fellow Thais Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai bowed out to Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida 17-21, 16-21.
In another women's singles match, third seed Pusarla V Sindhu beat Yvonne Li of Germany 21-12, 21-18 and will next meet Sim Yu-Jin. The Korean defeated Spain's Beatriz Corrales 21-13, 21-14.
In the men's singles event, Japan's Kenta Nishimoto upset fourth seed Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan 18-21, 21-15, 21-11.
Sixth seed Jonatan Christie kept the home flag flying with a 21-11, 21-12 win over fellow Indonesian Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo. He next faces Dane Anders Antonsen, who rallied to beat Taiwanese Wang Tzu-wei 18-21, 21-13, 21-14.
Another Dane Rasmus Gemke also made it after Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Indonesia retired in the second game.