Thailand Open: Spotlight on Rising Star
Fresh from his sparkling performances at the Thomas Cup, Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul will hope to make an impact at his home event, the TOYOTA Thailand Open 2026 Presented by VICTOR.
· DEV SUKUMAR
Teeraratsakul was one of the breakout stars at the Thomas Cup, with wins over top-notch opponents such as Alex Lanier, Alwi Farhan and Magnus Johannesen. The 21-year-old has had a strong season, with runner-up finishes at the Indonesia Masters and the Thailand Masters earlier this year. However, the home hope does have a tough first round lined up, against another upcoming star, Moh Zaki Ubaidillah.
Heading the lower half of the draw is senior compatriot Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who will be looking to defend his title. The second seed will run into Yudai Okimoto in his first round.
» Top seed Shi Yu Qi, having led China to the Thomas Cup title, takes on fellow-veteran Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in the first round. Interestingly, the last time they ran into each other was in September 2024.