Another hat-trick for Thai mixed pair

Dechapol and Sapsiree claim Indonesia Open

Mixed doubles stars Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai claimed their third straight title and sixth this year after they won the US$850,000 million Indonesia Open in Bali yesterday.

It is the second time the Thai duo have won three successive World Tour events. Dechapol and Sapsiree achieved the same feat when they won the Yonex Thailand Open, the Toyota Thailand Open and the World Tour Finals in January.

They also ended a four-match losing streak against Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino as they eased past the Japanese third seeds 21-12, 21-13 in yesterday’s final of the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event.

Watanabe and Higashino beat the Thai pair three times this year starting from the Tokyo Olympics quarter-finals, before victories in the Denmark Open final and the French Open semi-finals.

Dechapol and Sapsiree picked up the $62,900 (approximately 2,075,700 baht) winners’ cheque for their 10th career title while Watanabe and Higashino recieved $29,750 (981,750 baht).

The Thai pair won the Indonesia Masters in Bali last week and the Hylo Open in Germany earlier this month.

“Champion again today at Indonesia Open 2021! I’m very grateful,” Sapsiree wrote on her Instagram account after the award ceremony.

Dechapol also posted on his IG, “We are champions. Thank you for all your support.”

In the women’s singles final, second

seed Ratchanok Intanon lost to An SeYoung 17-21, 20-22 as the Korean fourth seed claimed her second title in Bali in as many weeks.

Meanwhile Danish ace Viktor

Axelsen was crowned the men’s singles champion.

Olympic champion Axelsen defeated Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 21-13, 9-21, 21-13 in the 59-minute title match.

In August, Axelsen beat China’s defending champion Chen Long and became the first non-Asian to claim the Olympic gold medal since 1996.

Japan’s fourth seeds Nami

Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida completed a Bali double after they stunned home hopes Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu, the 2020 Olympic gold medallists, 21-19, 21-19 in the women’s doubles decider.

World No.1 pair Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon lifted the home fans’ spirits after taking the men’s doubles honours.

They defeated Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 21-14, 21-18 in the championship match to avenge the defeat against the Japanese at the Indonesia Masters final.

The players head to the seasonending BWF Tour Finals, starting on Wednesday in Bali.

The world tour has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with these being first events in Asia for 10 months.