Sudirman Cup: China secure quarter-final spot with hard-earned win against Thailand
- Defending champions fight back from 0-2 down to make it three wins from three in group stage
China edged past Thailand to make it three wins from three in the group stage of the Sudirman Cup on Wednesday and comfortably eased into the knockout stages. They were made to work hard for the win, though.
China got off to a slow start when the doubles pairing of He Jiting and Tan Qiang lost out in a come-from-behind win for Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren 21-11, 8-21, 11-21.
“We could not find the solutions when we faced difficulties in the second set,” Tan said. “We tried to make a new start in the third, but couldn’t turn the tide.
“As the first pair in a team event, we felt more pressure than before. But made too many mistakes and errors of judgement today.”
The biggest shock in the match saw China’s Shi Yuqi, the world No 10, beaten by Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the first time the 20-year-old has beaten a top 10 rival.
“Yes, this is my biggest win,” Vitidsarn said. “I started with a basic game by defending and then pushed on with attack.
