Thai badminton pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran secured their first mixed doubles title together at the US$420,000 BWF Kumamoto Masters in Japan on Sunday. Competing in only their third tournament as a duo, they overcame French pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue in a hard-fought final, winning 21-16, 10-21, 21-17 after 62 minutes.
For 25-year-old Supissara, the victory marked her maiden World Tour title, making it a memorable prelude to her birthday on Monday. Dechapol, 27, celebrated his 19th career title and third of the year, having previously won the India Open and Thailand Masters with former partner Sapsiree Taerattanachai. The pair split following the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Sapsiree now competes alongside Supak Jomkoh.
Dechapol and Supissara will continue their partnership this week at the BWF China Masters, a Super 750 event offering US$750,000 in prize money.
In other results, Japan’s second-seeded Akane Yamaguchi claimed the women’s singles title, defeating Indonesia’s defending champion Gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-12, 21-12 in just 34 minutes. This marks Yamaguchi’s second 2024 triumph, following her Japan Open victory in August.
China’s seventh-seeded Li Shifeng captured the men’s singles crown, decisively beating Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao 21-10, 21-13.
Despite hosting the event, Japan saw limited success in doubles. Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto fell in the women’s doubles final to China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning 15-21, 15-21. Meanwhile, Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi were defeated in the men’s doubles decider by Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto, who prevailed 21-16, 21-18.
