This time the 22-year-old Ratchanok managed to squeeze her way past the fiercely tenacious Yamaguchi in 70 entertaining minutes. The last time the two players met, world No.2 Yamaguchi edged Ratchanok, currently ranked No.5, in a three-game battle in the semi-finals of the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals last December. Nishimoto defeated fellow unseeded player Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus of Denmark 21-14, 21-19, while world No.1 Axelsen defeated Malaysian hope Daren Liew 21-15, 21-11 in the semis. They take on Danish third seeds Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen, who defeated No.5 seeds Lee So-Hee and Shin Seung-Chan of South Korea 21-15, 21-18. In the mixed doubles final, second seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong will square off against No.5 seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China.

Source: Bangkok Post January 21, 2018 00:11 UTC