NANNING, May 23 — Schoolgirl An Se-Young’s fairytale run came to an end as holders South Korea crashed out to Thailand in the quarter-finals of the Sudirman Cup today.
Thailand will play hosts and hot favourites China in the last four of badminton’s prestigious mixed-team world championship in Nanning.
An only turned 17 in February but she is already making a name for herself, winning the New Zealand Open earlier this month and then beating Taiwan’s world number one Tai Tzu-ying yesterday.
But the teenager, ranked 50th, finally ran out of steam against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon, going down 21-15, 21-17 in 53 minutes as Thailand defeated South Korea 3-1.
The Koreans stunned 10-time champions China in the last edition of the Sudirman Cup, in 2017, but were missing their top man and woman singles players in Nanning.
China will be strongly fancied to defeat Thailand in the semi-finals on Saturday, especially in front of their home crowd.
The hosts reached the last four with a 3-1 win over Denmark.
The Danes grabbed their solitary point thanks to former world champion Viktor Axelsen.
Now ranked third in the world after injuries derailed his progress, the strapping 25-year-old defeated reigning Olympic champion Chen Long in a high-quality encounter.
Chen went down 21-11, 21-18 but Denmark’s hopes were short-lived.
Tomorrow in the other quarter-finals, Japan face Malaysia and Taiwan play Indonesia.
“Japan have been hailed as one of the favourites and are the top seeds,” said Malaysia’s coaching director Wong Choong Hann.
“This is the time for our players to show that they can face the best.” — AFP
