Kunlavut, mixed duo pose local challenge
PUBLISHED : 6 Jan 2024 at 04:00
The star-studded Princess Sirivannavari Thailand Masters 2024 will take place between Jan 30-Feb 4 at Nimibutr Stadium.
Reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the world No.7, will lead the Thai challenge along with Kantaphon Wangcharoen in the men’s singles competition of the BWF World Tour Super 300 event.
They will face the likes of Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, Li Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong, both from Malaysia, Kenta Nishimoto and Kanta Tsuneyama and former world champion Kento Momota, all from Japan, and Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen.
Thailand’s top women’s singles players such as Ratchanok Intanon, Pornpawee Chochuwong, Supanida Katethong, Busanan Ongbamrunphan will all feature in the tournament.
They will face overseas players include Kim Ga-Eun of South Korea, Japan’s Aya Ohori and Nozomi Okuhara, the 2017 world champion, Canada’s Michelle Li and Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min.
Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard will return to defend their women’s doubles crown while Jongkolphan Kittitharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai will also join the battle.
Mixed doubles stars Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, who were runners-up last year, will hope to do one better this time around but the world No.6 pair will face challenges from Hong Kong’s world No.8 Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet and Malaysia’s world No.9 Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei and fellow Thais Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran.
“The tournament is one of the Olympic qualifying events so the competition will be intense. There are many world’s top players and several former world champions taking part this year as they fight to qualify for the Paris Games,” said Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand.
“The fans will also have a chance to see all the top Thai players and cheer them on. It will be a great tournament,” she added.
The tournament will offer a total prize money of US$210,000 (approximately 7,245,000 million baht).
The qualifying competition will take place on Jan 30 and the main draw will start on Jan 31.
Tickets, ranged from 800, 400,200 and 100 baht, can be purchased at Thai ticket major outlets.
