Sabasports
Match Preview
PRINCESS
SIRIVANNAVARI Thailand Masters 2024
2024-01-30
to 2024-02-04
Source:
REUTERS/EDGAR SU
The
Thailand Masters 2024 is scheduled to take place in Jakarta from January 23 to
28. It is categorized as a Super300 event, which means it is not considered a
high-level tournament. Consequently, many top-ranked players have chosen to
withdraw from the competition, except for local Thai players. However, there
are still some notable matches that have captured fans’ attention. One of these
matches is in the first round of the women’s doubles event, where the Thai pair
Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, who are the top seeds in the
tournament, will face the Malaysian combination of Vivian Hoo Kah Mun and Lim
Chiew Sien.
Jongkolphan
Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai are indeed the number one women’s doubles
team in Thailand. They have been long-time partners and have developed a strong
understanding of each other’s playing style. Their performance in the Indonesia
Masters, however, ended in disappointment as they lost to China’s Zhang Shu
Xian and Zheng Yu with a final score of 1-2, resulting in their elimination in
the semi-finals. Currently ranked 10th in the world, Jongkolphan and Rawinda’s
tactics primarily revolve around pulling and attacking. Their physical fitness
is considered one of their greatest strengths. Even in matches that go to three
games, they do not appear fatigued or lacking in the ability to execute
powerful shots. Their defensive abilities are also noteworthy and have been
evident in many of their previous games.
Vivian
Hoo Kah Mun and Lim Chiew Sien’s partnership in women’s doubles did not have a
long duration. They started competing together at the Dutch Open in October
2021, marking their debut in the European and Bali seasons. Unfortunately,
their performance has not yielded the desired results. In the recent Indonesian
Masters, they were defeated 0-2 by China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in the
round of 16. Their primary objective in participating in these tournaments is
to enhance their understanding and cooperation as a team. Vivian has expressed
their goal in an interview, stating their aim to break into the top 25 in the
world rankings and achieve podium finishes in certain events. Currently, their
combined world ranking stands at 35th place, indicating that they still have a considerable
distance to go before reaching their target.
As the
top seeds in the tournament, Jongkolphan and Rawinda are considered to have
advantage in terms of competition experience, mutual understanding, and overall
ability compared to Vivian and Lim. Jongkolphan and Rawinda exhibit a fast and
aggressive playing style, setting the pace of the game. Importantly, they
maintain a consistent and steady pace throughout the match, avoiding major
mistakes. In contrast, Vivian and Lim’s partnership is relatively new, and they
may still be developing their understanding and coordination on the court. As a
result, they may make more low-level mistakes in crucial moments of the game.
Additionally, Vivan and Lim might face certain disadvantages in terms of
physical fitness compared to Jongkolphan and Rawinda. Considering these
factors, it is expected that Jongkolphan and Rawinda will have a relatively
easy time defeating the “young” combination of Vivian and Lim in the
first round.