NANNING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia failed to make it to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Sudirman Cup after losing to Thailand 3-2 for its second straight defeat here on Tuesday evening.
After both sides split the first four matches, Thailand won the decisive mixed doubles when its Singapore Open 2019 winners Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai defeated the 36th-ranked Evgenia Dimova and Evgenij Dremin 21-10, 21-11 to advance to the last eight.
"At first we were under a lot of pressure as we lagged behind 1-2. But in the fourth match of women's doubles, my teammates brought the score back to a 2-2 tie and gave us much confidence," said Taerattanachai.
Russia, who lost to Japan 3-2 on Monday, took the opening men's doubles as All England Open 2016 winners Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov, who won over their Japanese rivals earlier, continued their winning momentum to power off Kittinupong Kedren and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet 21-11, 19-21 and 21-15 after 58 minutes.
From the women's singles, Thailand levelled the score 1-1 as Ratchanok Intanon, the winner of the 2013 World Championships, whitewashed 38th-ranked Evgeniya Kosetskaya 21-7, 21-16.
Russia regained its advantage in the men's singles as the 63rd-ranked Vladimir Malkov, who upset 10th-ranked Kenta Nishimoto of Japan on Monday, stunned the 19th-ranked Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-13, 21-15.
"Last month, I've been training in Zhengzhou (central China), and I've seen that I've made the improvement. So I'm actually planning to stay here to prepare for the Olympic qualification," said Malkov.
Thailand caught up in the women's doubles again for a 2-2 tie when 9th-ranked Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai defeated the 24th-ranked Ekaterina Bolotova and Alina Davletova 21-19, 21-14.
With the win, both Thailand and Japan are through to the quarterfinals and will play against each other on Wednesday to decide the winner of Group 1A.
