Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai booked their berth in the semi-finals of the US$750,000 BWF Japan Open in Osaka yesterday.
The mixed doubles stars are the only Thai players left in the World Tour Super 750 event after all of their compatriots bowed out in the quarter-finals yesterday at Maruzen Intec Arena Osaka.
Second seeds Dechapol and Sapsiree defeated Korean pair Ko Sung-Hyun and Eom Hee-Won 21-11, 21-18. They will play Tokyo Olympic champions Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping of China for a place in tomorrow's final.
Fourth seeds Wang and Huang defeated seventh seeds Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing of Malaysia 21-16, 21-15.
Other Thai singles players including Ratchanok Intanon, Pornpawee Chochuwong and Kantaphon Wangcharoen all exited the tournament yesterday.
Women's singles eighth seed Ratchanok lost to second seed Tai Tzu-ying 21-19, 21-18 while Pornpawee fell to top seed Akane Yamaguchi 21-18, 21-18.
Kantaphon was easily beaten by China's Shi Yuqi 21-6, 21-13 in the men's singles quarters.
Women's doubles seventh-seeded pair Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai suffered a 21-10, 21-11 loss to fourth seeds Ko So-Yeong and Kong Hee-Yong of South Korea.
Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China moved into the women's singles last four after defeating Gregoria Tunjung of Indonesia 21-17, 21-6. Korean third seed An Se-Young came through a tough test against fifth seed Carolina Marin as she beat the Spaniard 21-18, 13-21, 21-17.
On the men's side, Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan ousted HS Prannoy of India 21-17, 15-21, 22-20, Kenta Nishimoto of Japan edged Chico Aura Wardoyo 14-21, 21-17, 21-18. bangkok post/afp