Ratchanok eased past Lin Hsiang-ti of Taiwan 21-10, 21-10 in 38 minutes but the Thai will have a much tougher assignment in the second round where she will face home player and second seed Wang Zhiyi, who defeated Sung Shuo-yun of Taiwan 21-9, 21-15.
Another women’s singles hope Pornpicha crashed out after losing to Japanese world No.9 Tomoka Miyazaki 11-21, 11-21, reports the Bangkok Post.
The mixed doubles pair Pakkapon and Sapsiree bowed out in the first round for a second successive tournament, losing to seventh seeds Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui of China 14-21, 13-21. The pair also crashed out in the first round at the Hong Kong Open last week.
Ratchanok and Pornpawee Chochuwong are the only Thais remaining in the women’s singles event after Busanan Ongbamrungphan bowed out in the first round on Tuesday.
In today’s action at the Shenzhen Arena, Pornpawee, who is seeded sixth, will play India’s Pusarla V Sindhu, while men’s singles third seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn will take on China’s Lu Guangzu.
In the mixed doubles round of 16, fourth seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran will meet Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara of Japan, while Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat will face Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch of Denmark.