Thailand’s 22-year-old Pornpawee Chochuwong pulled off a stunning win over reigning Olympic champion and home favorite Carolina Marin to win the women’s singles in the Barcelona Spain Masters on Sunday.
The sixth-seeded Thai came back from a game down to stun the top seed with an 11-21, 21-16, 21-18 win at Vall D’Hebron Olympic Sports Centre – her first win the Spaniard in six encounters after a 77-minute battle.
The partisan home crowd did not rattle the 20th ranked Pornpawee who gave a sublime performance to snatch a great win over the former World No 1 who is now ranked No 8.
Thailand, however, failed to clinch a double in the singles when three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn fell to top seed and defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in straight games 21-16, 21-13 in the men’s singles final. It was the first meeting between the two players.
Two other titles went Asia’s way – the mixed doubles and the women’s doubles.
Unseeded Koreans Kim Sa Rang-Kim Ha Na continued their winning ways in Barcelona by taking the mixed doubles with a 15-21, 21-11, 21-10 win over French pair Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue, the sixth seeds.
Indonesian top seeds Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu played a marathon 96-minute final in the women’s doubles before prevailing 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 against Bulgaria’s third seeds – Stoeva sisters Gabriela and Stephani.
The men’s doubles went to Denmark’s fourth seeds Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen who upset top seeds Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei 21-7, 21-19. – Badminton Asia
RESULTS (All Finals)
Mixed doubles
Kim Sa Ran-Kim Ha Na (KOR) beat Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (FRA) 15-21, 21-11, 21-10
Women’s doubles
Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu (INA) beat Gabriela Stoeva-Stephani Stoeva (BUL) 18-21, 22-20, 21-17
Women’s singles
Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA) beat Carolina Marin (SPN) 11-21, 21-16, 21-18
Men’s singles
Viktor Axelsen (DEN) beat Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA) 21-16, 21-13
Men’s doubles
Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (DEN) beat Lee Yang-Wang Chi-Lin (TPE) 21-17, 21-19
