Supanida lights up the day

Supanida Katethong advanced to the quarter-finals of the US$210,000 Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters at Nimibutr Stadium yesterday.

The Thai star defeated compatriot Pitchamon Opatniputh 21-11, 21-16 to set up a last-eight clash with Sim Yu-Jin of South Korea today.

Sim defeated Zhang Beiwen of the United States 21-12, 21-17 yesterday.

Another women's singles hope Pornpicha Choeikeewong crashed out after losing to seventh seed Zhang Yiman of China 21-11, 21-13.

Zhang will play Pai Yu-po in the last eight after the Taiwanese defeated Riko Gunji of Japan 21-12, 22-20.

China's fourth seed Han Yue qualified for the last eight after her opponent Mia Blichfeldt retired while trailing 7-1 in the second game. Han won the opener 21-8.

She will play another Danish player Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in the quarters.

Women's doubles top seeds Jong­kolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai made a surprise exit after they were beaten by Korean rivals Baek Ha-Na and Lee So-Hee 21-13, 21-17.

Mixed doubles duo Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran also failed to progress, losing to Dejan Ferdinansyah and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of Indonesia 19-21, 21-19, 21-16.

Men's doubles pairs Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Weeraphat Phakjarung and Wongsathon Thongkham also exited the Super 300 tournament at the last-16 stage yesterday.

In the men's singles event yesterday, fourth seed Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong needed three games to overcome Cheam June Wei of Malaysia 21-9, 12-21, 21-9; Shi Yuqi of China edged past Koki Watanabe of Japan 21-18, 12-21, 21-12; third seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong defeated Kiran George of India 20-22, 21-15, 22-20 and Kenta Nishimoto of Japan beat Anders Antonsen of Denmark 23-21, 14-21, 21-16.