Kunlavut moves coolly into last 16

Kunlavut Vitidsarn stormed into the men’s singles last 16 of the US$850,000 BWF Denmark Open in Odense on Tuesday.
Kunlavut, the Paris Olympics silver medallist, cruised past Mads Christophersen of Denmark 21-18, 21-6 in just 36 minutes to book his berth in the last 16 round of the World Tour Super 750 event.
The Thai sixth seed will next play Koki Watanabe after the Japanese defeated Lee Chia-hao of Taiwan 21-15, 21-15 on Tuesday.
Fellow Thai Pornpicha Choeikeewong lost to women’s top seed An Se-Young of South Korea in the opening round 16-21, 8-21.
World No.1 An will face Ratchanok Intanon or Yvonne Li of Germany who will play their first round match on Wednesday.
Ratchanok was a finalist at the Arctic Open in Finland on Sunday, losing to China’s Han Yue in the title match.
Pornpawee Chochuwong and Busanan Ongbamrungphan are also in the women’s singles draw and will play their first round matches on Wednesday. Pornpawee will meet Arctic Open champion and forth seed Han while Busanan will take on Michelle Li of Canada.
Aimsaard sisters — Benyapa and Nuntakarn — exited the tournament yesterday. The Thai pair went down to home players Julie Finne-Ipsen and Mai Surrow 10-21, 15-21 in the women’s doubles first round match.
Meanwhile Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam defeated Malvika Bansod of India 21-13, 21-12 in another women’s singles opener.
Thuy Linh will play seventh seed Supanida Katethong of Thailand or Aakarshi Kashyap of India in the last 16.
In other results yesterday, Lu Guangzu of China defeated Lakshya Sen of India 12-21, 21-19, 21-14 in the men’s singles opener while mixed doubles pair Tom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France rallied to upset fifth seeds Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai of Malaysia 9-21, 24-22, 21-10.