Ratchanok Intanon, Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Pornpawee Chochuwong all advanced to the second round of the women's singles event at the BWF Singapore Open yesterday.
Fifth seed Ratchanok defeated Fitriani Fitriani of Indonesia 21-18, 21-14, Busanan beat Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland 21-11, 21-17 and Pornpawee eased past Mugsha Agrey of India 21-16, 21-8 at the US$355,000 (approximately 11.3 million baht) BWF World Tour Super 500 event at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Nitchaon Jindapol however suffered another early exit, losing to Han Yue 14-21, 22-20, 16-21. She was also beaten in the first round at the India Open and Malaysia Open.
China's Han will play Ratchanok in the last-16 round today, when Busanan will meet second seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan and Pornpawee will take on sixth seed Saina Nehwal of India.
World No.1 and top seed Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan survived a scare, needing three games to overcome Zhang Beiwen of the United States 21-14, 10-21, 21-18 and book her berth in the last 16, where she will face China's Chen Xiaoxin.
Tai is coming off a successful week in Kuala Lumpur where she won her third successive Malaysia Open -- her first title of the year.
Kantaphon Wangcharoen was the only remaining Thai in the men's singles event. He beat China's Huang Yuxiang 21-16, 21-19 to advance to second round, but Khosit Phetpradab, Suppanyu Avihingsanon and Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk and Sitthikom Thammasin all lost.
Kantaphon will face third seed Viktor Axelsen in the last 16 today. The Dane progressed after Lin Dan, who won the Malaysia Open on Sunday, retired at 13-20 in the first game.
In the mixed doubles event, third seeded Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai progressed with a 21-12, 21-12 win over Saurabh Sharma and Anoushka Parikh of India, but Nipitphon Phuangphuapet and Savitree Amitrapai bowed out to Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia 17-21, 17-21.
