Bangkok: Just one week after helping their country to win the 2017 Sudirman Cup bronze medal, Thailand’s No. 1 seed Ratchanok Intanon notched up a three-game thriller at Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok against fellow teammate and No. 4 seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan, claiming the women’s singles title at the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold on Sunday.
Intanon who was the 2013 world champion and former world number one, took the opening game 21-18 before Ongbamrungphan levelled the match by winning the second 21-12.
Intanon showed her superiority and upped her tempo in the decider, winning the third set 21-16 to wrap up the final in 84 minutes.
The two previously met in the final of the same tournament, where Intanon also came out on top with 20-22, 21-19, 21-13.
In the women’s doubles final, Indonesia’s Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu produced a remarkable display of aggressive badminton by beating Thai shuttlers Chayanit Chaladchalam and Phataimas Muenwong 21-12, 21-12 in 45 minutes.