Defending champions China advanced to the Sudirman Cup knockout stage after a commanding 4-1 victory over Thailand in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, on Wednesday evening.
The Chinese mixed doubles pair, Feng Yanzhe and Wei Yaxin, kicked off the match with a win, defeating Thailand’s Teeraratsakul Pakkapon and Muenwong Phataimas in straight sets, 23-21, 21-11.
In the men’s singles, Li Shifeng engaged in an intense 85-minute thriller against Thailand’s Wangcharoen Kantaphon. Li emerged victorious with scores of 21-18, 17-21, and 21-13.
However, in the women’s singles, world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi faced a tough challenge against Intanon Ratchanok. Wang battled hard, losing the first set 19-21, winning the second 21-13, but ultimately fell in the deciding set 21-23.
“She played very aggressively today,” Wang said after the match. “I performed poorly in many ways, which gave my opponent lots of opportunities and confidence. I hope my failure can be transformed into valuable experience.”
China secured comfortable wins in both the men’s doubles and women’s doubles. The men’s duo, Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, defeated their opponents 21-14, 21-14. Meanwhile, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning dominated the women’s doubles with a 21-11, 21-8 victory.
In Group B, four-time champions South Korea overcame a setback in the men’s singles to defeat Chinese Taipei 4-1, securing the top spot in the group.
With these results, both China and South Korea have solidified their positions as strong contenders in the Sudirman Cup as the tournament moves into the knockout stages.
