KOREA OPEN 2014 SF – Ratchanok denies Korea’s last finalist hopeful

For the first time in the lifetime of the Korea Open – or Sung Ji Hyun – there will be no Korean participation on finals day as Ratchanok Intanon booked her first appearance in a three-game thriller.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul.  Photos: Yves Lacroix for Badmintonphoto (live)

The Korea Open and Sung Ji Hyun (pictured below) both turn 23 this year.  Unfortunately for Sung, this is the first time in the event’s history that no Koreans will be active in the finals.  Sung, a two-time finalist and women’s singles champion last year, was the only Korean survivor in Friday’s quarter-finals when team-mate Bae Yeon Ju and all three remaining doubles pairs were defeated.

Sung Ji Hyun was the last member of the home team with a shot at a Sunday appearance but she came up short in the deciding game against 18-year-old World Champion Ratchanok Intanon (pictured left) of Thailand.  Unsuccessful on a desperation line call challenge on the final point, Sung watched Ratchanok take the match 24-22,  11-21, 21-17.

“I knew that I had to take risks in this match whenever I had the opportunity but when I didn’t have opportunities, I basically just tried to keep moving her around the court,” said Ratchanok afterward.  “She is very tall, so I thought that tiring her out would give me the best chance.

“The final is going to be tough because I’m playing against the best in China.  I have only beaten Wang Shixian once and I have never beaten Wang Yihan so no matter who I have to play, it is going to be a very difficult match.”

Korea has gone without a title only two times previously: in 2006, when Lee Jae Jin and Hwang Ji Man lost the men’s doubles final, and in 2012, when the home team had runners-up in all three finals.

Click here for complete semi-final results