Top gun Kunlavut crashes out to Chou in quarters
Top-ranked Kunlavut lost to sixth seed Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan 17-21, 11-21 in the Super 1000 event.
Kunlavut has yet to win a title since being officially crowned world No.1 in early June. The 24-year-old will defend his world title in Paris next month.
Chou will play Chinese third seed Shi Yuqi, who won the Japan Open last week, in the semi-finals.
Second-ranked Shi, who was replaced by Kunlavut as world No.1 eight weeks ago, overcame fifth-seeded compatriot Li Shifeng 15-21, 21-15, 21-11.
In the women's singles event, second seed Wang Zhiyi of China defeated Chiu Pin-chian of Taiwan 21-16, 21-11. Wang will next face Japanese third seed Akane Yamaguchi, who ended the run of 17-year-old Unnati Hooda with a 21-16, 21-12 victory.
Hooda stunned two-time Olympic medallist and fellow Indian Pusarla V Sindhu 21-16 19-21 21-13 in the last 16.
Mixed doubles pair Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui of China claimed another scalp of seeds, knocking out No.4 Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei of Malaysia.
A day after defeating Thai fifth seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran in the last 16, the Chinese duo ousted the Malaysians 21-19, 21-15.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Kunlavut flies the flag for Kingdom
Kunlavut Vitidsarn advanced to the quarter-finals of the US$2 million BWF China Open 2025 on Thursday but mixed doubles pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran bowed out. World No.1 Kunlavut defeated Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao 23-21, 21-7 to seal his place in the men's singles last eight of the World Tour Super 1000 event at Changzhou's Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium on Thursday. He will play sixth seed Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan in the last eight after the Taiwanese veteran edged past HS Prannoy of India 18-21, 21-15, 21-8. Mixed doubles fifth seeds Dechapol and Supissara, who were runners-up at the Japan Open last week, lost to China's Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui 20-22, 15-21. Another mixed pair, Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat, also bowed out yesterday. They were beaten by third seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong 18-21, 16-21. Women's singles player Busanan Ongbamrungphan also exited the tournament, beaten by third seed Akane Yamaguchi 14-21, 17-21. Yamaguchi will play Unnati Hooda of India in the quarters. It was a double disappointment for Dechapol after he and playing partner Kittinupong Kedren lost their men's doubles last 16 match against Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi of Malaysia 16-21, 16-21. Also, men's fifth seed Li Shifeng progressed with a 21-17, 21-9 win over Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong and will next face either third-seeded compatriot Shi Yuqi or Nguyen Nhat of Vietnam. In other results on Thursday, Christo Popov of France eliminated fourth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia 21-12, 13-21, 21-16; women's second seed Wang Zhiyi of China ousted Riko Gunji of Japan 21-15, 21-13 and eighth seed Gregoria Mariska Tunjung defeated Lin Hsiang-ti of Taiwan 21-13, 21-14.
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Top gun Kunlavut crashes out to Chou in quarters
Top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn crashed out in the men's singles quarter-finals of the US$2 million BWF China Open 2025 in Changzhou on Friday. Top-ranked Kunlavut lost to sixth seed Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan 17-21, 11-21 in the Super 1000 event. Kunlavut has yet to win a title since being officially crowned world No.1 in early June. The 24-year-old will defend his world title in Paris next month. Chou will play Chinese third seed Shi Yuqi, who won the Japan Open last week, in the semi-finals. Second-ranked Shi, who was replaced by Kunlavut as world No.1 eight weeks ago, overcame fifth-seeded compatriot Li Shifeng 15-21, 21-15, 21-11. In the women's singles event, second seed Wang Zhiyi of China defeated Chiu Pin-chian of Taiwan 21-16, 21-11. Wang will next face Japanese third seed Akane Yamaguchi, who ended the run of 17-year-old Unnati Hooda with a 21-16, 21-12 victory. Hooda stunned two-time Olympic medallist and fellow Indian Pusarla V Sindhu 21-16 19-21 21-13 in the last 16. Mixed doubles pair Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui of China claimed another scalp of seeds, knocking out No.4 Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei of Malaysia. A day after defeating Thai fifth seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran in the last 16, the Chinese duo ousted the Malaysians 21-19, 21-15.
Bangkok Post
18-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
ONE Championship: Chihiro Sawada targets Denice Zamboanga title shot in Japan after submission win
Chihiro Sawada has her sights set on a ONE Championship world title shot – and she wants it in her home country. The Japanese atomweight contender returned to winning ways with a first-round armbar submission of Argentina's Macarena Aragon last Saturday morning at ONE Fight Night 33 in Bangkok. It marked a strong response from the 27-year-old after her first professional loss – a decision defeat to China's Meng Bo in January – and she now has her eye on gold. 'My intention is the same – to go to that Japan card, ONE 173,' Sawada told the Bangkok Post backstage at Lumpinee Stadium. 'I got the win and I want the chance to fight there too.' ONE 173 is set for November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. But it remains to be seen whether Sawada will get her wish. Ayaka Miura, a former ONE strawweight title challenger who dropped to atomweight last year, will compete against Colombian newcomer Juliana Otalora at ONE Friday Fights 116 – and is believed to be in pole position to challenge newly elevated champion Denice Zamboanga in November. Sawada is currently ranked No 5 in the atomweight MMA division and knows the opportunity may not fall to her just yet. 'If there is no title shot, I want Ham Seo Hee,' she said. 'Or it is going to be Ayaka Miura in Japan.' Sawada, who trains with AACC in Tokyo, dominated from the opening bell against Aragon – who had failed hydration for the bout – before locking in the armbar. 'Armbar is just one of my plans that I had for Aragon,' she said. 'I also prepared other submission techniques like the leg lock, and I have increased my striking skills also. But this time, the armbar – I made it, I executed, and I'm very happy about that.' Despite the finish, Sawada missed out on a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. 'I expected the bonus, but maybe this is not the right timing for that – next time,' she said. Asked whether she was compensated in other ways after Aragon's weigh-in issues, she smiled and replied, 'I can't say anything about this!' – though it is likely she received at least 20 per cent of her opponent's fight purse. Sawada was quick to thank her supporters after the win, which improved her overall record to 9-1-1, and 4-1 in ONE Championship. 'Thank you very much to everybody that's been supporting me from Japan – and not only from Japan, from my fans around the world,' she said. 'It means a lot to me. 'And not only that – all the athletes that have been training with me, all my trainers, everybody in my gym, and especially my corners that have been helping me. I thank them a lot.'
