Firstly, in men’s doubles, YONEX pair Maneepong Jongjit (VOLTRIC 80)/Nipitphon Puangpuapech (NANORAY Z-SPEED) defeated former world No.1 Mathias Boe (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE II)/Carsten Mogensen (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE II). Lasting 52 minutes, the two pairs fiercely competed in a close match that ran for three sets. The final score was 21-17 15-21 21-18.
In women’s singles, US YONEX shuttler Zhang Beiwen (ARCSABER 11) won over Japan’s Kana Ito (VOLTRIC 70), winning the championship on her home turf, and claiming her first Grand Prix Gold title. Zhang commanded the first match confidently, but Kana demonstrated more persistence in the second game, making for a close match in the end. Zhang still managed to come out on top, excellently scoring seven consecutive points near the end of the second game. The final score was 21-8 21-17.
In mixed doubles, YONEX players Maneepong Jongjit (VOLTRIC 80) and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (NANORAY Z-SPEED) came out as semifinalists. The Thai pair took their semifinal match in straight sets against Chinese Taipei’s Chia Yu Lin/Pei Rong Wang. While the two managed to take the first game by a healthy margin, things came down to the wire in the second game. The final score was 21-14 24-22. In the final, the Thai shuttlers put up a good fight against Indonesian pair Muhammad Rijal/Vita Marissa. Exhibiting great persistence in the second game, the duo kept their opponents from shooting too many consecutive points. The final score was 16-21 19-21.
Thailand has proven once again that it’s a country to keep an eye on. With a strong focus on junior talent, Thailand is continuing its proud ascent to the world stage. In this tournament in particular, Thai players made it to the finals in the three events, with the above-mentioned Maneepong Jongjit/Nipitphon Puangpuapech grabbing a title in one of them. With Thailand making a bold mark on the badminton world, we’re eager to see where they’ll go next.
Tournament Results [2014 YONEX Suffolk County Community College US Open Championships]
Men’s Doubles
[2]Maneepong Jongjit (VOLTRIC 80)/Nipitphon Puangpuapech (NANORAY Z-SPEED)(THA) def. Mathias Boe (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE II)/Carsten Mogensen (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE II) (DEN) 21-17 15-21 21-18
Women’s Singles
[3]Zhang Beiwen (ARCSABER 11)(USA) def. Kana Ito (VOLTRIC 70)(JPN) 21-8 21-17
Women’s Doubles
Shendy Puspa Irawati/ Vita Marissa (INA) def. [3]Puttita Supajirakul (NANORAY Z-SPEED)/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (NANORAY Z-SPEED) 21-15 21-10
Mixed Doubles
Muhammad Rijal/Vita Marissa (INA) def. [1]Maneepong Jongjit (VOLTRIC 80)/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (NANORAY Z-SPEED)(THA) 21-16 21-19
*Photo of Zhang taken at YONEX Open Japan 2014; Photos of Maneepong and Nipitphon taken at the 2014 Thomas Cup