Robust Home Challenge
Potent Thai presence in three categories promises to fire up home aspirations at the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2022.
· DEV SUKUMAR
The Thais have two representatives each in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles; what will enthuse home fans is the presence of two upcoming pairs who have qualified alongside more experienced compatriots.
The Aimsaard sisters, Benyapa and Nuntakarn, aged 20 and 23 respectively, were not familiar faces on the World Tour before the start of this season. With their title win at the India Open, the Aimsaards began the year on an auspicious note, and eventually proved they belonged in the top league. Runners-up at the Korea and Australian Opens, and winners at the Vietnam and HYLO Opens, the Thais have enjoyed a meteoric rise, even eclipsing their senior compatriots Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai, who qualified in sixth place.
Kititharaul/Prajongjai had another consistent year, making four semifinals and a final, and even achieved their “dream” of beating the world’s best pair, Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan, at the Indonesia Open.