Kingdom's stars brace for tough battles

Kingdom's stars brace for tough battles
Kunlavut Vitidsarn will face China's world No.13 Weng Hongyang in the first round of the All England Open after a draw for the US$1.45 million (approx 49.3 million baht) BWF World Tour 1000 event was announced on Thursday.
Olympic silver medallist and world No.5 Kunlavut, who is the fifth seed, could face world No.2 Anders Antonsen in the quarter-finals of the March 11-16 tournament in Birmingham.
Women's world No.6 Pornpawee Chochuwong will face Japan's Natsuki Nidaira, the eighth-ranked Supanida Katethong will play Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia, the ninth-ranked Ratchanok Intanon will take on Zhang Beiwen of the US and world No.10 Busanan Ongbamrungphan will meet Taiwan's Chiu Pin-chian in their opening matches of the women's singles event.
Mixed doubles players Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran have been drawn to face top seeds Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai of Malaysia in their opening match, while Rattanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat will meet Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto of India in the first round.
Dechapol will also compete in the men's doubles event with Kittinupong Kedren and the pair will begin their campaign against Kim Won-Ho and Seo Seung-Jae of South Korea.
The Aimsaard sisters, Benyapa and Nuntakarn, will face Paulina Hankiewicz and Kornelia Marczak of Poland.