We’ve got the first winners of 2024 on the IWT tour as Li/Ng take the men’s elite doubles Thailand Open Cha title. They defeated Koubaa/Nielsen +20 (21-4 21-10 22-20 2-2) in the semi-finals, with a very close squash game. They faced Motasha/Patel in the finals, after Motasha/Patel defeated top seeds Kleiber/Ng +18 (21-15 21-5 14-21 7-4).
The Hong Kong pair was a bit too strong in the final, after a very tight table tennis game and a close badminton, it was pretty straight forwards in squash which meant they only needed four points in tennis. Li/Ng won +18 (22-20 21-17 21-9 4-4) to take the title. This is the second time Kevin Ng has won the CHA Thailand Open men’s elite and they extended the Hong Kong winning streak for this event.
Koubaa/Nielsen took the bronze medal after they beat Kleiber/Ng +13 (21-15 21-8 10-21 14-9).
Kevin Ng and Mohammed Tarik Koubaa are through to the final
Kevin Ng and Mohammed Tarik Koubaa both managed to win their group matches today in the men’s elite. Ng won his first match against Kleiber +44 (21-6 21-4 21-9) and got the better of top seed Mandrin Mouchet, taking the match +12 (21-17 21-18 21-17 11-10).
Mohammed Tarik Koubaa also won his group, beating Tsz Chung Chan +23 (21-8 15-21 21-5) and Christian Börner +44 (21-9 21-6 21-4). Unfortunately Börner had to withdraw resulting in a walkover for Tsz Chung Chan.
The final will take place at 10:15 am local time tomorrow (GMT+8).
Thailand Open Senior winners crowned today
As Friday was doubles day, we saw two pairs being crowned senior Thailand Open Champions. The +50 doubles was won by Mahajan/Rakshit after they beat Kleiber/Tink in a nailbiting final. The score was +3 (13-21 21-19 21-15 21-18). It was another doubles title for Hong Kong and a second title for Samuel Li as he and Tsz Chung Chan took the +40 doubles title. They beat Mahajan/Rakshit +25 (21-10 21-11 21-17) and got through a very close match against Koubaa/Motasha, taking it +4 (15-21 16-21 21-11 21-16).
Mohammed Tarik Koubaa has added another +40 title to his collection, and a good start to the 2024 season as he won both his group matches quite comfortably before tennis to claim the title. He beat Adrian Ng +39 (21-2 21-8 21-14) and Christian Börner +9 (21-9 21-6 21-4). Christian Börner took the silver medal and Adrian Ng finished third. Per Fanklin Nielsen won the +60 title as the Dane defeated UK’s Bob Tink +52 (21-10 21-2 21-14 21-6) and his first singles title.
The men’s B and +50 finals will be played tomorrow.
+50 doubles | +40 doubles | +40 | +60 | +50 | Men’s B
