Pornpawee shocks Yamaguchi

Pornpawee shocks Yamaguchi

Ratchanok advances, 2 Thai pairs in semis

Pornpawee Chochuwong plays against Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Open in Bali on Friday. (AFP photo)
Pornpawee Chochuwong plays against Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Open in Bali on Friday. (AFP photo)

Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong stunned top seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the quarter-finals of the Indonesia Open in Bali on Friday.

Fifth seed Pornpawee needed one hour and 12 minutes to defeat Yamaguchi 21-6, 21-23, 21-11 for one of the biggest wins of her career at the US$850,000 BWF World Tour Super 1000 event.

The victory avenged the 23-year-old Thai's loss to the Japanese in last week's Indonesia Masters in the same round at the same venue.

There could be an all-Thai final in the women's singles as second seed Ratchanok Intanon also reached the semi-finals after beating Asuka Takahashi of Japan 21-17, 21-12.

In all, Thai players booked four places in the semi-finals at Bali International Convention Center.

Mixed doubles duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai and women's doubles pair Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai will also play in the semi-finals today.

Rayong native Pornpawee has been Thailand's best performer in the women's singles this year.

She defeated Ratchanok and Taiwan's Tai Tzu-ying in the group stage at the 2020 World Tour Finals in Bangkok in January before losing to eventual champion Carolina Marin in the semi-finals.

Pornpawee also reached the final of the All England Open but lost to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara.

"Today I felt good," world No.10 Pornpawee said after yesterday's win.

"I kept on fighting for each shot. The key was to be patient," said Pornpawee.

She next meets fourth seed An Se-Young of South Korea who defeated Thailand's Phittayaporn Chaiwan 21-13, 21-11.

The Korean also beat Phittayaporn in the semi-finals last week on her way to winning the Indonesia Masters.

Ratchanok, 26, will be up against PV Sindhu in the last four after the Indian third seed saw off South Korea's Sim Yu-Jin 14-21, 21-19, 21-14.

In the mixed doubles, top-seeded Dechapol and Sapsiree breezed past Malaysia's Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing 21-10, 21-11.

In the semi-finals, they will take on Ko Sung-Hyun and Eom Hye-Won of South Korea who lost to the Thais in the same round last week.

The Thais are chasing their third successive title having won in Bali last week and in Germany earlier this month.

In the women's doubles, third seeds Jongkolphan and Rawinda cruised to a 21-10, 21-14 victory over Bulgarian sisters Gabriela and Stefani Stoeva.

The Thai pair next meet home stars Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu, the second seeds, in the semi-finals.

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