Mixed fortunes for Thailand and India in Bangkok
It will be an all-Thailand women's singles final in the USD120,000 Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold after Busanan Ongbamrungphan pulled off an upset 21-19, 21-18 win over India's second seed Saina Nehwal in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Ranked 13 in the world Busanan, the fourth seed, upset the former world No 1 and now ranked No 11, in a match that lasted 53 minutes with the home fans kept on the edge of their seats as both players exchanged long rallies.
Busanan will face another former world No 1 and top seed, compatriot Ratchanok Intanon (No 8) in Sunday's final. The 22-year-old Ratchanok had no difficulty against United State's third seed Zhang Beiwen (No 12) in her 21-18, 21-15 win in 39 minutes.
The men's singles final will be between India's third seed B. Sai Praneeth and fourth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. Praneeth, the Singapore Open winner in April and ranked 24, will start as favourite against the 27th ranked Jonatan.
Praneeth dashed Thailand's last hope in the men's singles Pannawit Thongnuam 21-11, 21-15 in 36 minutes. Pannawit turned giant killer when he toppled top seed and compatriot Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 21-17, 17-21, 21-8 in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Jonatan ended Malaysian Soong Joo Ven's brilliant run in the tournament with a straight sets 21-9, 21-18 win in 34 minutes.
It was heartbreak for the home fans at the Nimibutr Stadium when their top mixed doubles pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai were knocked out of the tournament in the semi-finals.
The hotly favoured No 9 ranked Thais fell to a 19-21, 21-19, 17-21 defeat to Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie in 66 minute. The fifth seeded Malaysians will face China's unseeded He Jiting-Du Yue who upset Singapore's second seeds Terry Hee Yong Kai-Tan Wei Han 23-21, 21-19.
For the record the Singaporeans are ranked No 17 and the Chinese pair No 156.
Thailand, however, will have Chayanit Chaladcham-Phataimas Muenwong in the women's doubles final against Indonesians Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu.
The Thais upset sixth seeds Du Yue-Xu Ya of China 21-19, 21-9 while the Indonesians came through a tough 95-minute battle against Thailand's Savitree Amitrapai-Pacharapun Chochuwong to prevail 24-26, 21-16, 21-13.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Men's Singles
Jonatan Christie (Ina) beat Soong Joo Ven (Mas) 21-9, 21-18
B. Sai Praneeth (Ind) beats Pannawit Thongnuam (Tha) 21-11, 21-15
Men's Doubles
Berry Angriawan-Hardianto Hardianto (Ina) beat Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge (Eng) 22-20, 18-21, 21-9
Raphael Beck-Peter Kaesbauer (Ger) beat Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Emil Seidel (Ger) 21-18, 14-21, 21-19
Women's Singles
Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) beat Zhang Beiwen (US) 21-18, 21-15
Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) beat Saina Nehwal (Ind) 21-19, 21-18
Women's Doubles
Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu (Ina) beat Savitree Amitrapai-Pacharapun Chochuwong (Tha) 24-26, 21-16, 21-13
Chayanit Chaladchalam-Phataimas Muenwong (Tha) beat Du Yue-Xu Ya (Chn) 21-19, 21-19
Mixed Doubles
Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) beat Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-19, 19-21, 21-17
He Jiting-Du Yue (Chn) beat Terry Hee Yong Kai-Tan Wei Han (Sin) 23-21, 21-19
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