Host nation China cemented its position at the top of Group A in the Sudirman Cup with a 4-1 victory over Thailand. Both teams had already secured their spots in the quarterfinals, but this encounter determined the crucial seeding for the knockout stage.
China began strongly in the mixed doubles, with the new pairing of Feng Yanzhe and Wei Yaxin overcoming Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Phataimas Muenwong. After a tight first game, the Chinese pair secured the win 23-21, 21-11. Feng Yanzhe noted their resilience, emphasizing their belief even when trailing.
The men’s singles match proved to be a lengthy and hard-fought battle, lasting 85 minutes. China’s Li Shifeng ultimately prevailed over Kantaphon Wangcharoen with a score of 21-18, 17-21, 21-13, earning a vital point for the home team.
However, in the third match, the women’s singles, Thailand managed to snatch a point from China. The intense clash between Wang Zhiyi and Ratchanok Intanon saw Intanon emerge victorious with a score of 19-21, 21-13, 21-23. This closely contested match lasted for an hour and 19 minutes.
Following this, the men’s doubles pair of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang secured the overall victory for China. They delivered a comfortable performance against Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren, winning 21-14, 21-14.
Despite the tie being decided, the women’s doubles match was still played. China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning displayed dominance against Thailand’s Supissara Paewsampran and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat, winning 21-11, 21-8 and bringing the final score to 4-1 in China’s favor.
With this win, China finishes the group stage undefeated with three victories and will anticipate a favorable draw for the Sudirman Cup quarterfinals. Thailand also progresses to the quarterfinals, finishing as the runner-up in Group A.
Badminton enthusiasts are now eagerly awaiting the results of the remaining group matches to discover who China and Thailand will face in the next stage of this prestigious mixed-team world championship.