Mixed duo, Busanan reach KL quarters

Mixed doubles duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai and singles star Busanan Ongbamrungphan advanced to the quarter-finals of the US$420,000 BWF Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

Dechapol and Sapsiree edged Japanese rivals Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo 21-12, 10-21, 21-14 in just under an hour to claim their spot in the last eight of the BWF World Tour Super 500 event.

The Thai second seeds will play Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin of China for a place in the semi-finals.

Busanan also survived a three-game battle to remain the only Thai hope in the women's singles event.

The eighth seed recovered after losing the first game to beat Yvonne Li of Germany 19-21, 21-13, 21-16.

She will play fourth seed Han Yue of China in the quarter-finals today.

Another mixed doubles pair Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran also progressed to the quarter-finals after they knocked out eighth seeds Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati of Indonesia in two games, 21-17, 21-15.

Supak and Supissara will take on Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith of England today.

Supissara was also in action in the women's doubles event, teaming up with Puttita Supajirakul in the last-16 match against second seeds Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia.

However, they were beaten 14-21, 14-21.

Singles stars Pornpawee Chochuwong and Kunlavut Vitidsarn both lost.

Pornpawee lost to Canada's Michelle Li 15-21, 13-21 in the women's singles while eighth seed Kunlavut fell to India's Srikanth Kidambi 19-21, 19-21 in the men's event.