Thai stars Busanan Ongbamrungphan, Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Kantaphon Wangcharoen advanced to the last-16 round of the US$360,000 Korea Open Championships in Suncheon on Wednesday.
Women’s singles seventh seed Busanan defeated Kim Hyo-Min of South Korea 21-11, 21-5 to set up a last-16 clash with Wang Zhiyi at the World Tour Super 500 event at Palma Stadium.
China’s Wang knocked out another Thai player Supanida Katethong 17-21, 21-16, 21-19.
Busanan was runner-up at the Swiss Open last month.
Men’s singles stars Kunlavut and Kantaphon had little trouble against their first-round opponents, winning their matches in two games.
Kunlavut, who won the German Open last month, defeated Koki Watanabe of Japan 21-12, 21-10 while Kantaphon cruised past Youcef Sabri Medel of Algeria 21-6, 21-8.
Kunlavut plays Jan Louda of the Czech Republic while Kantaphon takes on former world…
