Top 10 interesting facts from Thailand Masters

Published at :February 9, 2024 at 5:43 AM

Modified at :February 9, 2024 at 5:44 AM

(Courtesy : @ladydyla__/Twitter/X)

Aya Ohori halted her six-year title drought with the women’s singles title.

The Thailand Masters constitutes a notable badminton competition held annually in Thailand since its establishment in 2016. As part of the BWF World Tour Super 300 category, it has successfully completed seven editions. However, the tournament was canceled in both 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, Chou Tien-Chen holds the title in men’s singles, while Aya Ohori achieved the same in women’s singles. In men’s doubles, He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu are the titleholders, and in women’s doubles, the honor goes to Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard. The mixed doubles title is held by the pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai. These players emerged victorious in the 2024 edition.

In this article we will get to know 10 interesting facts about Thailand Masters:

Interesting facts about Thailand Masters

1. Most successful team

China and Thailand have earned the distinction of being the most successful team in the Thailand Open, with their players securing nine titles across seven editions in various categories.

The Chinese athletes have achieved remarkable success in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles categories, securing a total of three titles in each. In addition, Chinese athletes have also earned two titles in the men’s doubles category and one in the women’s singles category.

In seven editions, the athletes of Thailand have achieved the highest number of titles in women’s doubles, winning a total of four. Additionally, they have secured three titles in women’s singles, and one title each in men’s doubles and mixed doubles.

2. Most discipline representatives in finals

Thailand is proud to have achieved the highest number of representatives in the finals, totaling 18 over the years. Previously, both China and Thailand shared the record with 14 finalists. However, in the most recent edition, Thai athletes participated in four out of five finals, elevating their total to 18.

While Chinese athletes made two final appearances in this year’s event, featuring in the men’s doubles and women’s doubles, Thai athletes participated in the final of every category except men’s singles.

3. Title match between same nations

On three separate occasions, athletes or teams from the same country have vied for the championship title. The first occurrence took place in the women’s doubles event of 2016 where two Chinese pairs contended for the title. Subsequently, in the women’s singles competition in 2018, two pairs from Thailand competed against each other.

The most recent instance occurred in the women’s singles event in 2023 where two Chinese players competed against each other.

4. Top seeds to win the title

Till today, only two of the top seeds have secured the title. Ratchanok Intanon clinched the women’s singles title in 2016, while the women’s doubles title was claimed by Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in 2018. Both the title winners belonged to Thailand.

In 2016, Ratchanok Intanon claimed victory over China’s Sun Yu with a score of 21-19, 18-21, and 21-17 to secure the title. In 2018, the duo of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai defeated Indonesia’s Anggia Shitta Awanda and Ni Ketut Mahadewi Istarani with a scoreline of 21-19 and 21-17 to clinch the win.

5. Only three defending champions in 2024 draw

In the 2024 edition, Lin Chun Yi in men’s singles, team of Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando in men’s doubles and the team of Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard in women’s doubles, stood as the sole defending champions in the draw.

In the 2024 Thailand Masters, Lin Chun Yi’s campaign concluded in the quarter-final stage, while Daniel Marthin and Leo Rolly Carnando were defeated in the second round. However, the team of Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard secured the championship for the second consecutive year in the women’s doubles category.

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6. Returning former winners

There were certain names who had earlier bagged the Thailand Masters title returned to the draw. The names are Loh Kean Yew, Angus Ng Ka Long, Busanan Ongbamrungphan, Chan Peng Soon, Sapsiree Taerattanachai and the team of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi and Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith.

Unfortunately none of the listed champions in the above list again got the chance to grab the title again in the 2024 edition. The best performance was from Loh Kean Yew who ended his campaign as the runner-up in the men’s doubles category.

7. Taerattanachai’s women’s doubles success

The top seed in mixed doubles, Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand, achieved her only success till 2023 in women’s doubles alongside the now-retired Puttita Supajirakul in 2019.

The pair advanced to the 2019 final by overcoming Ekaterina Bolotova and Alina Davletova of Russia. They proceeded to compete against Li Wenmei and Zheng Yu of China in the final match, clinching victory with a scoreline of 15-21, 21-15, and 21-10.

8. Most final appearances

Sapsiree Taerattanachai has achieved yet another remarkable feat by securing the record for the most final appearances in the Thailand Masters. Her previous record of four final appearances has been extended to five following her entry into the mixed doubles final this year.

She also secured her second Thailand Masters title in 2024, marking her first win in mixed doubles alongside Dechapol Puavaranukroh. The victory came after defeating the Malaysian pair of Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei with a scoreline of 21-12 and 21-18.

9. Dechapol Puavaranukroh’s consecutive final appearance

Dechapol Puavaranukroh remains the only player to appear in three consecutive finals from 2017 to 2019. Ng Ka Long had the opportunity to match the record this year but his campaign ended in the quarter final round. Even after several final appearances, Puavaranukroh had not secured a title until 2024. In the current edition, he achieved victory in the mixed doubles category while partnering with Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

10. Qualifier to take the crown

Loh Kean Yew is the only qualifier to win the Thailand Masters title. The player from Singapore won the men’s singles title in 2019.

He enjoyed a successful tournament in the 2019 edition. During the semifinal round, he secured victory over China’s Lu Guangzu with a scoreline of 21-11, 6-21, and 21-18. In the final, he competed against China’s top seeded Lin Dan, prevailing in straight sets with scores of 21-19 and 21-18 to claim the title.

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