Mixed fortunes for women’s singles shuttlers in Korea Open

 K Letshanaa moves to second round after win over her Thai opponent, but Wong Ling Chin squanders two match points in decider against lower-ranked South Korean.

K Letshanaa faces a herculean task against world No 1 An Se Young in the second round of the Korea Open, while compatriot Wong Ling Ching failed to get through the opening round today.

PETALING JAYA:

National women’s singles shuttlers K Letshanaa and Wong Ling Ching had mixed fortunes in the opening round of the Korea Open being played in Yeosu, South Korea.

Letshanaa, ranked world No 28, was made to sweat against 64th ranked Thai player Tonrug Saehong before winning 21-17, 21-18 in a match lasting 47 minutes to move to the second round of the World Tour Super 500 championships.

However, Ling Ching suffered a setback when she was ousted by a lower-ranked South Korean player after holding two match points in the decider.

The Malaysian, ranked world No 41, eventually bowed out to 62nd ranked Indonesian player Thalita Ramadhani Wiryawan 17-21, 23-21, 20-22 in their match lasting 70 minutes.

Letshanaa faces a herculean task in the second round when she faces the world’s top women’s singles player, An Se Young of South Korea, who has beaten her in all their four previous encounters. - FMT