Kunlavut Vitidsarn won his first significant title on home soil, claiming the TOYOTA GAZOO RACING Thailand Open 2023 with a clinical victory over Lee Cheuk Yiu. The second-seeded Thai was never threatened by the Hong Kong China player, banking on his excellent defence and courtcraft to frustrate his opponent. Vitidsarn needed just 38 minutes to close out the match 21-12 21-10 to add the Super 500 title to the two other HSBC BWF World Tour titles he’s won – the German Open 2022 and the India Open 2023.

In women’s singles, An Se Young’s sensational season continued, with her fourth title this year from seven finals, and her 12th overall on the HSBC BWF World Tour. An became only the second women’s singles winner of the event from Korea, repeating the feat of her coach Sung Jihyun who won in 2015. The top seed overcame a four-point deficit in the second game to edge He Bing Jiao 21-10 21-19.

Korea were successful in mixed doubles too, with Kim Won Ho/Jeong Na Eun coming back from the brink against home favourites Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai. The top-seeded Thais nearly pulled off a sensational win from 14-18 down in the third, holding match point before the Koreans deprived them at the end in the most closely-contested match of the day, 11-21 21-19 22-20.

Other Highlights:

• Men’s doubles third seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang won their second title of the year with a comfortable 21-10 21-15 result over Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana.
• In women’s doubles Kim So Yeong/Kong Hee Yong denied a winning wrap-up for the hosts by outplaying Benyapa Aimsaard/Nuntakarn Aimsaard 21-13 21-17 for their second title of the year.

Results