Kuala lumpur: The Thai badminton team has advanced to the finals in three categories at the Malaysia Masters 2026 World Tour Super 500, marking a significant achievement for the squad. According to Thai News Agency, the tournament, held at Unifi Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, offered a total prize money of US$500,000, equivalent to approximately 16,250,000 Thai Baht. The semi-final round saw the Thai team excel in women's singles, men's singles, and mixed doubles categories. In the women's singles semi-final, Ratchanok Intanon, known as "May," showcased her skill and experience. As the second seed and world number 7, she faced Denmark's Line Højmark Kesschfeldt, the eighth seed and world number 23. Ratchanok dominated both games with identical 21-12 scores, securing her place in the final against China's top seed, Chen Yufei. On the men's side, "Ikkyu" Panichol Teeraratkul, ranked 28th in the world, faced France's Christophe Popov, the 3rd seed and world number 4. Panichol's strategic play and powerful smashes led him to a 2-0 win, with scores of 21-13 in both games. He will face last year's champion, China's Li Shifeng, in the final. In the mixed doubles, "Omo" Parkphon Teeraratkul and "Popo" Sapsiree Taerattanachai, ranked 20th in the world, overcame China's Gao Xinwa and Chen Fanghui in a thrilling three-game match. After losing the first game 21-15, they adjusted their strategy to win the second game by the same score. In the deciding game, they secured a 21-17 victory, advancing to the final. The finals are set for Sunday, May 24, 1969, beginning at 12:00 PM Thailand time, with live coverage available on True Sport 7 (686).
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