Malaysia's junior world champion Goh Jin Wei moved into the quarter-finals in the USD120,000 Thailand Open Grand Prix at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok on Thursday.
The 16-year-old Jin Wei, hailed by many as a star in the making, stunned Thai hope and No 2 seed Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in a three-set battle to prevail 21-16, 16-21, 21-17 in 55 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals.
Jin Wei will face compatriot Ho Yen Mei in an all-Malaysian quarter-final match. Yen Mei herself was involved in an upset when she downed No 5 seed Yui Hashimoto in an hour-long match for a 21-19, 14-21, 21-16 win.
Despite the defeat of Porntip, Thailand will have two others – No 3 seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan and No 4 seed Nitchaon Jindapol fighting a place in the semi-finals in the women's singles.
Busanan eased into the quarter-finals with a 21-11, 21-11 win over Indonesia's Fitriani Fitriani in 35 minutes while Nitchaon needed three games to beat Taiwan's Yu Chien Hui 21-11, 19-21, 21-11.
Busanan will play Singapore's China-born No 7 Liang Xiaoyu who knocked out Indonesian Yulia Yosephine Susanto 21-16, 16-21, 21-6. Nitchaon will be up against another Indonesian Dinar Dyah Ayustine compatriot Ruselli Hartawan 21-13, 21-10 in an all-Indonesia second round match.
Malaysia's world No 28 Tee Jing Yi, fresh from her outing in the Rio Olympics, continued her winning ways in Bangkok – coming back from a set down to defeat Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 10-21, 22-20, 21-5 in 57 minutes.
Jing Yi next faces Japan's Aya Ohori who showed Singapore's Yeo Jia Min the exit with an easy 21-18, 21-9 win in 32 minutes.
In the men's singles No 2 seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia earned a quarter-final berth against Taiwan's Hsueh Yuan Yi. The Indonesian won 24-22, 21-13 against homester Pannawit Thongnuam while Hsuan Yi got the better of Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-13, 21-17.
Malaysian privateer Daren Liew broke the hearts of the home fans when he staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Thai Olympian and No 4 seed Boonsak Ponsana 22-24, 21-12, 21-17.
Other third round winners in the men's singles are Taiwan's No 3 seed Hsu Jen Hao, Thailand's No 5 seed Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, Japan's No 6 seed Kenta Nishimoto.
In the men's No 2 seeds Berry Angriawan-Rian Agung Saputro of Indonesia stayed on course with a 21-12, 21-16 win over Malaysia's Lian Jian Yi-Lim Zhen Ting 21-12, 21-16 in 21 minutes.
They will meet Malaysia's independent pair Hoon Thien How-Teo Kok Siang (No 6 seeds) who came through with a 23-21, 17-21, 21-10 win over Taiwan's Lu Ching Yao-Yang Po Han.
Malaysia's hope in the mixed doubles Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing outplayed Indonesia's Riky Widianto- Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 21-19, 21-18 and will meet No 5 seeds Liao Min Chun-Chen Hsia Hua , 21-10, 21-19 winners over Thailand's Parinyawat Thongnuam-Natcha Saengchote.
RESULTS (Selected)
Men's Singles
(Third Round)
Suppanyu Avihingsanon (Tha) beat Kazumasa Sakai (Jpn) 21-17, 21-18
Tonongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) beat Panji Ahmad Maulana (Ina) 21-18, 21-19
Hsu Jen Hao (Tpe) beat Chong Wei Feng (Mas) 21-15, 21-10
Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) beat Pannawit Thongnuam (Tha) 24-22, 21-13
Daren Liew (Mas) beat Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) 22-24, 21-12, 21-17
Kenta Nashimoto (Jpn) beat Yang Chih Chieh (Tpe) 20-22, 21-14, 21-16
Lee Cheok Yiu (Hkg) beat Wang Tzu Wei (Tpe) 17-21, 21-17, 21-15
Men's Doubles
(First Round)
Takuto Inoue-Yuki Kaneko (Jpn) beat Ong Yew Sing-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) 21-17, 16-21, 21-19
Lim Khim Wah-Ong Zyan Guo (Mas) beat Hendra Aprida Gunawan-Markis Kido (Ina) 21-17, 21-17
Fajar Alfian-Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Ina) beat Hardianto Hardianto-Kenas Adi Haryanto (Ina) 21-14, 18-21, 21-16
Hoon Thein How-Teo Kok Siang (Mas) beat Lu Ching Ya0-Yang Po Han (Tpe) 23-21. 17-21, 21-10
Women's Singles
(First Round)
Aya Ohori (Jpn) beat Yeo Jia Min (Sin) 21-18, 21-9
Tee Jing Yi (Mas) beat Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) 10-21, 22-20, 21-15
Nitchaon Jindapol (Tha) beat Yu Cheih Hui (Tpe) 21-11, 19-21, 21-11
Liang Xiaoyu (Sin) beat Yulia Yosephini Susanto (Ina) 21-16, 16-21, 21-6
Dinar Dyah Ayustine (Ina) beat Ruselli (Ina) 21-13, 21-10
Goh Jin Wei (Mas) beat Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Tha) 21-16, 16-21, 21-17
Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Tha) beat Fitriani Fitriani (Ina) 21-11, 21-11
Ho Yen Mei (mas) beat Yui Hashimoto (Jpn) 21-19, 14-21, 21-16
