Thailand Open 2024: Satwik-Chirag, Ashwini-Tanisha enter semi-finals, Meiraba bows out
The Thailand Open 2024, held in Bangkok, has seen some phenomenal matches, including several upsets, in the last few days. The fourth day of the Super 500 event was no different.
The Indian women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto secured a hard-fought win in their quarter-final match to book their place in the last four. The duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also won their encounter against Malaysia's Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap to enter the semi-finals.
However, Maisnam Meiraba, the 21-year-old Indian shuttler who stunned HS Prannoy earlier in the tournament, ended his spectacular run after going down in the quarterfinals to top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn.
A closer look at the matches: (Indians only)
In the women's doubles category, fourth-seeded Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa took on the sixth-seeded South Korean duo of Lee Yu Lim and Shen Seung Chan in their quarter-final match.
The Indian pair battled through a grueling encounter lasting one hour and sixteen minutes before emerging victorious. The final score of their three-set battle was 21-15, 21-23, 21-19. They will now face the top seeds from Thailand, Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, in the men's doubles category, the top-seeded duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their dominating run in the tournament with a commanding straight-game victory over Malaysians Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap.
The Indian pair, currently ranked world No. 3, won the match with a 21-7, 21-14 scoreline. They will now face Chinese Taipei's Lu Ming-Che and Tang Kai-Wei in the semi-finals.
However, amidst the victories, youngster Meiraba Luwang Maisnam's incredible campaign came to an end with a defeat against top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Despite putting up a fight, Meiraba ultimately succumbed to the Thai shuttler, 12-21, 5-21.
Meiraba, who fought his way through the qualifying rounds before entering the main draw, had a brilliant run in the tournament. He beat World No. 9 HS Prannoy in the first round and also got the better of higher-ranked Mads Christophersen of Denmark in the pre-quarter-finals.
Thailand Open 2024: Results at the end of day four (Indians only)
Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa (India) beat Lee Yu Lim and Shin Seung Chan (South Korea) 21-15, 21-23, 21-19
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (India) beat Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap (Malaysia) 21-7, 21-14
Maisnam Meiraba (India) lost to Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) 12-21, 5-21