AG2018: Ratchanok, Nozomi lead top players into second round

Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon and Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara, both former world champions, breezed through their first-round matches on the opening day of the Asian Games badminton individual competition at the Istora Senayan today.

Ratchanok, fourth ranked in the world, swept past Nepal’s Jessica Gurung 21-7, 21-4 while Nozomi, who was part of the victorious Japanese women’s team yesterday, overpowered Moosa Aminath Shahurunaz of Maldives 21-2, 21-5. China’s Chen Yufei, ranked fifth, made it past Korea’s An Se Young 21-15, 21-8.

Tai Tzu Ying and Akane Yamaguchi, the first and second seeds, were not in action today after receiving first round byes.

In the mixed doubles, Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, silver medallists in the Olympics, advanced after getting past India’s Pranaav Jerry Chopra-N.Sikki Reddy. They took the first game 21-15 and continued the momentum into the second which they won 23-21.

In the men’s doubles this evening, Korea’s Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae headed into the next stage after beating Chinse Taipei’s Chen Hung Ling-Wang Chi Lin 21-12, 15-21, 21-17. Indonesian pair, Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto had it easy against Khuvituguldur Byambajav-Batdavaa Munkhbat from Mongolia, winning 21-4, 21-7.

Earlier this afternoon, Vietnam’s Thi Trang Vu, ranked No. 52 in the world, almost upstaged world No. 3 Sindhu in the first round today. Sindhu had little problems and won 21-10 win in the first game but Thi Trang suddenly came alive and levelled the score 21-12. In the decider, both were tied at 18-all before drawing level again at 20-20. Sindhu disputed a line call at game point but to her credit, she kept her cool and walked away with a hard-fought 23-21 win.

In other matches this afternoon, Saina Nehwal and Gregoria Mariska Tunjung sailed past their opponents, Soraya Aghaeihajiagha from Iran and Ng Chi Weng from Macau. Saina will face Fitirani while Gregoria will meet Sindhu in the second-round tomorrow.

In the men’s doubles, V Shem-Wee did not face much problems against Thailand’s Kiong Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh to win 21-15, 21-16. Takeshi-Keigo also had an easy game today, defeating Thailand’s Tinn Isriyanet-Kittisak Namdash 21-11, 21-16.

The men’s singles, which only had one game today, will go full blast tomorrow as the top seeds, including Shi Yuqi and Kento Momota, take to the courts.

Selected Results

Women’s singles

Chen Yufei (Chn) bt An Se Young (Kor) 21-15, 21-8

Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Moosa Aminath Shahurunaz (Mdv) 21-2, 21-5

He Bingjiao (Chn) bt Nguyen Thuy Linh (Vie) 21-14, 21-5

4-Ratchanok Inthanon (Tha) bt Jessica Gurung (Nep) 21-7, 21-4

Saina Nehwal (Ind) bt Soraya Aghaeihajiagha 21-7, 21-9

3-Pusarla V. Sindhu (Ind) bt Vu Thi Trang (Vie) 21-10, 12-21, 23-21

Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Ina) bt Weng Chi Ng (Mac) 21-4, 21-7

Women’s doubles

Della Destiara Haris-Rizki Amelia Pradipta (Ina) bt Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq-Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq (Mdv) 21-6, 21-4

Ashwini Ponnappa-Reddy N. Sikki (Ind) bt Ng Wing Yung-Yeung Nga Ting (Hkg) 21-16, 21-15

Men’s doubles

Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae (Kor) bt Chen Hung Ling-Wang Chi Lin (Tai) 21-12, 15-21, 21-17

Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Ina) bt Khuvituguldur Byambajav-Batdavaa Munkhbat (Mon) 21-4, 21-7

Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) bt Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol Puavaranukroh (Tha) 21-15, 21-16

3-Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) bt Tinn Isriyanet-Kittisak Namdash (Tha) 21-11, 21-16

Mixed doubles

Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) bt Pranaav Jerry Chopra-N.Sikki Reddy (Ind) 21-15, 23-21

Lee Yang-Hsu Ya Ching (Tai) bt Nipitphon Phuangphuapet-Puttita Supajirakul (Tha) 21-17, 22-20

Note: For full results, please go to https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/matches.aspx?id=4B641789-C7DC-440D-99A2-4BC6D8B537EC&d=20180823

Individual Medallists Asian Games 2014

Men’s singles

Gold: Lin Dan (China)

Silver: Chen Long (China)

Bronze: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia), Wei Nan (Hong Kong China)

Men’s doubles

Gold: Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia)

Silver: Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong (Korea)

Bronze: Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Malaysia), Kim Gi-jung-Kim Sa-rang (Korea)

Women’s singles

Gold: Wang Yihan (China)

Silver: Li Xuerui (China)

Bronze: Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei), Bae Yeon-ju (Korea)

Women’s doubles

Gold: Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii (Indonesia)

Silver: Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)

Bronze: Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Malaysia), Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (China)

Mixed doubles

Gold: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (China)

Silver: Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)

Bronze: Praveen Jordan-Debby Susanto (Indonesia), Xu Chen-Ma Jin (China)

- Advertisement -