Brave Busanan goes down fighting to Tai

Busanan Ongbamrungphan bowed out in the last 16 round of the US$1 million All England Open Championships in Birmingham on Thursday.

The Thai world No.11 put up a brave fight but eventually went down to top-ranked Tai Tzu-ying 19-21, 20-22 in 46 minutes at Utilita Arena.

Busanan lost to eventual champion Nozomi Okuhara in the women’s singles quarter-finals last year.

Two-time winner Tai next faces the winner of the match between Japan’s Okuhara and China’s Han Yue.

Men’s singles hope Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who claimed his first World Tour title in Germany on Sunday, was due to face seventh seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in a late match.

Mixed doubles stars Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai and women’s doubles pair Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai were also in action later.

In the other early women’s singles last-16 matches, both…