Thai women shuttlers knocked out by Japan

Thai shuttlers enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Thomas and Uber Cups Preliminary Asian Zone Championships at the Macau Forum yesterday, with Boonsak Ponsana powering the men's side over India in the play-offs but the women going down to Japan.

In yesterday's semi-finals of the Uber Cup, the World Women's Team Championships, former 11-time winners China clean-swept Taiwan 3-0, while SEA Games champions Thailand, who lashed underdogs Malaysia 3-0 in the quarter-finals the previous day, lost 3-2 to former five-time champions Japan.

The do-or-die battle against Japan saw teen sensation and world No 13 Ratchanok Inthanon and world No 14 Porntip Buranaprasertsuk hand Thailand their first two wins, with the former battling past world No 19 Eriko Hirose 16-21 21-17 21-17 and the latter outclassing Ai Goto 21-14 22-20.

However, Japan struck back hard to win the remaining three matches. Minatsu Mitani came from behind to brush aside Thailand's Sapsiree Taerattanachai 15-21 21-19 21-16 in 64 minutes, while the impressive duo of Mami Naio and Shizuka Matsuo stunned top Thai pairing Saralee Thoungthongkam and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul 21-17 21-11. Miyuki Maeda then combined well with Satoko Suetsuna to tame Savitree Amitrapai and Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-17 21-9 and complete Japan's 3-2 comeback victory.

Japan today challenge China in the gold-medal match, while Thailand and Taiwan battle it out for third place. Despite yesterday's loss, the Thai women made the cut for the 12-team Uber Cup Finals in Wuhan, China between May 20 and 27.

Meanwhile, the 5th-8th-place play-offs in the men's Thomas Cup Preliminary Asian Zone saw Thailand struggle past India 3-2 and South Korea edge Taiwan 3-2. Today, the Thai men go up against the Koreans.

Against India yesterday, world No 20 Boonsak was pushed to the limit by in-form Parupalli Kashyap, ranked 29 in the world. The Thai star finally found his touch to win a nerve-shredding decider 21-19. Thailand stretched it to 2-0 when Sudket Prapakamol and Songphon Anugritayawon stormed back against Indians Kumar Rupesh and Thomas Sanave for a 2-1 win. World No 51 Suppanyu Avihingsanon then went down fighting to Varma Sourabh, world No 48, 21-19 21-17, before Pakkawat Vilailak failed to make his mark against Praneeth B Sai. The deciding doubles encounter saw Thais Patipat Chalardchaleam and Nipitphon Puangpuapech clinch a 21-17 22-20 win over Akshay Dewalkar/Pranav Chopra.