Thai badminton stars hit the courts at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, September 26, 2026, competing across seven matches in both the round of 32 and round of 16 at the 20th Asian Games. The continental showpiece in Japan brings intense morning and afternoon sessions across four courts, with live broadcasts managed via ONE31 and AIS PLAY according to the Badminton Association of Thailand. Coming off team battles earlier in the week, the Thai contingent faces a packed schedule of matches testing both seasoned veterans and rising names. Ratchanok Intanon and Kunlavut Vitidsarn Lead Singles Draws
Ratchanok Intanon and Kunlavut Vitidsarn Lead Singles Draws
Opening the morning session at 07:50 a.m. Thailand time on Court 2, fifth seed May Ratchanok Intanon faced North Korea’s Jin Hyang Kim in the women’s singles round of 32. Intanon’s path required navigating the early round before a potential evening clash against the winner between Maldives competitor Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq and Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min. In men’s singles, second seed View Kunlavut Vitidsarn took on Pui Pang Fong of Macau on Court 3 at 09:40 a.m.. Vitidsarn’s tournament trajectory pits him toward a potential evening round of 16 meeting against either Vietnam’s Nguyen Hai Dang or Kyrgyzstan’s Odilzhon Abdurakhimov. Meanwhile, eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong met Taiwan’s Lin Hsiang-Ti on Court 1 during the morning rotation. At 10:20 a.m. Thailand time on Court 1, eighth seed “Mew” Pornpawee Chochuwong faced LIN Hsiang-Ti from Taiwan in the round of 32, with an eye toward a potential evening round of 16 match against either Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq from the Maldives or Lo Sin Yan Happy from Hong Kong. Doubles Squads Face Tough Tests Against Asian Powerhouses
Doubles Squads Face Tough Tests Against Asian Powerhouses
The doubles draws delivered tests following performances earlier in the week. Following a victory over India’s defending champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the Thai men’s doubles pair of Peeratchai Sukpun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul advanced to face Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin on Court 2. At 12:20 p.m. Thailand time on Court 2, the men’s doubles pair of “Omo” Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and “Pee” Peeratchai Sukpun met MARTHIN Daniel and CARNANDO Leo R. from Indonesia. Earlier, the same Thai pair had posted a strong performance to defeat India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty 2-1 games with scores of 12-21, 21-19, and 21-14 in the round of 32. Also at 12:20 p.m. on Court 4, the women’s doubles pair of “Gusjung” Naphaphorn Tungkasatan and “Pat” Hathaithip Mijad faced TAN Pearly Koong Le and MURALITHARAN Thinaah, the top-seeded Malaysian women’s doubles team. The previous day, Naphaphorn Tungkasatan and Hathaithip Mijad had secured a 21-19, 21-8 victory over North Korea’s Jin Hyang Kim and Mi Song Yu in the round of 32. Simultaneously at 12:20 p.m. on Court 3, the women’s doubles duo of “Jane” Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat and “Anna” Nuntakarn Aimsaard squared off against YEUNG Nga Ting and YEUNG Pui Lam. On the previous day, Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard had defeated the Maldivian women’s doubles pair of Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq and Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq with scores of 21-9 and 21-6. Later in the schedule at 13:40 p.m. Thailand time on Court 1, the men’s doubles partnership of “Team” Worrapol Thongsa-nga and “Oat” Chalermpon Charoenkitamorn faced China’s third seeds LIANG Weikeng and WANG Chang. The previous day, Chalermpon Charoenkitamorn and Worrapol Thongsa-nga had defeated Laos men’s doubles pair Namboun Luangamath and Phonesack Sokthavy with scores of 21-16 and 21-5. Mixed doubles pair Title-Jane Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat arrived in the subsequent rounds carrying momentum from their earlier matches into a meeting with Taiwan’s All England champions Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan. Ruttanapak Oupthong and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat had played two rounds the previous day to advance into the quarterfinals against Taiwan’s fourth-seeded All England champions YE Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan. Broader Continental Context and Team Standings
Broader Continental Context and Team Standings
The individual bouts unfold as delegations look to build upon earlier team results at the Games. India’s contingent, for instance, secured a bronze in the men’s team event after falling 1-3 to China in the semifinals, while their women’s side exited in the quarterfinals. Thai competitors face a similarly crowded field where early round upsets dictate whether rising contenders can push past heavyweight seeds from China, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea. With matches continuing across consecutive time slots at the Ichinomiya venue, the physical toll of back-to-back rounds in both singles and doubles will test the depth of every remaining contender as the tournament pushes toward the medal rounds.
