Japan's Ohori ousts Ratchanok at Thailand Masters

Japan's Aya Ohori upset hometown favourite and number two seed Ratchanok Intanon to advance to the Thailand Masters women's badminton semi-final on Friday. The left-handed Ohori bounced back from a set down to beat the star Thai shuttler 16-21 21-17 21-11. Ohori, 23, will go up against Korea's An Se-young on Saturday at the Indoor Stadium Huamark in Bangkok.

Former world champion Carolina Marin, who lost the Indonesia Masters title to Ratchanok, also moved through after dispatching Japan's Sayaka Takahashi 21-9 21-16. Spain's Marin meets top seed and world number three Akane Yamaguchi on Saturday. In the men's singles, Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long battled past Korea's Heo Kwang-hee in three sets to win 21-16 13-21 21-11.

He now faces China's Shi Yu Qi in the semi-finals Saturday. Bangkok fans can still root for a player on home turf as Thailand's 18-year-old Kunlavut Vitidsarn takes on Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in the other semi-final match. The Thailand Masters is the second competition this month to not feature men's world number one Kento Momota after the Japanese superstar was injured in a car crash that killed his driver and left him with minor injuries in Kuala Lumpur. He is expected to return to action at the All England Championships in March.