India Open: ‘Bas-Popor’ Back from the Brink
'Bas' Dechapol Puavaranukroh and 'Popor' Sapsiree Taerattanachai have gone nine events without crossing the quarterfinals. Today at the YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2024, it was almost their 10th such result on the trot,…
· DEV SUKUMAR
'Bas' Dechapol Puavaranukroh and 'Popor' Sapsiree Taerattanachai have gone nine events without crossing the quarterfinals. Today at the YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2024, it was almost their 10th such result on the trot, but the Thais kept up the resistance to save four match points against Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino and make their first semifinal since the Japan Open in July last year.
Their doggedness was evident on the fourth match point, with Taerattanachai defending from the floor; and after they’d converted their second opportunity for a 21-17 15-21 27-25 result in 86 minutes, their joy was clear to see. It was their first defeat of Watanabe/Higashino after three straight losses.
“It’s about who makes mistakes first,” said Taerattanachai.