China to meet South Korea in Uber Cup final
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China's Wang Zhiyi hits a return to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi during the Asian Championship semi-finals in April.
PHOTO: AFP
HORSENS – Staving off complacency would be key to China’s hopes of retaining the Uber Cup, said their women’s singles world No. 4 Chen Yufei.
The record 16-time champions will meet two-time winners South Korea in the May 3 final after their respective 3-0 and 3-1 semi-final wins over Japan and Indonesia at the Forum Horsens in Denmark on May 2.
China have failed to retain the badminton women’s team tournament title since winning it for the third time in a row in 2016.
After failing to reach the 2018 final which Japan won, they regained their title in 2020, but lost to South Korea in the 2022 final before reclaiming it again in 2024.
Asked for her advice for her team ahead of the title decider, Chen said: “I would tell my teammates to keep a strong mentality against any opponent, to just play their best self. Everybody faces a lot of pressure, but I trust that my teammates can keep calm and play their best.”
The former Olympic champion had sealed their passage with a 21-11, 22-20 win over world No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki.
Earlier, world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi overcame a wobble to outlast two-time world champion and third-ranked Akane Yamaguchi 21-23, 21-11, 21-16 in the first singles, before Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning’s 21-18, 21-14 win over Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto in the doubles.
Wang acknowledged that she was not 100 per cent ready at the start, adding: “I didn’t feel much pressure before the match, but I had confidence in winning the singles. I’m glad that I eventually found my own rhythm and adapted to the fast pace.”
The 26-year-old could be coming up against her nemesis, world No. 1 An Se-young, who recently beat her in the Asian Championship final – her 11th victory over Wang in the last two years.
An beat Putri Wardani 21-19, 21-5 in the semi-finals on May 2. While her teammate Sim Yu-jin lost 21-19, 21-19 to 18-year-old Thalita Wiryawan, the Koreans advanced thanks to victories from their doubles pairings of Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee, and Jeong Na-eun and Kim Hye-jeong.
In Thomas Cup action on May 1, France continued their fairy-tale run as they defeated Japan 3-0 to reach the last four of the men’s team tournament for the first time.
Their semi-final against India ended after press time, with defending champions China and Denmark also facing off for a place in the final, marking the first time that two European teams are in the last four of the same edition.
Christo Popov started the ball rolling for France by defeating Kodai Naraoka 21-17, 21-17 before Alex Lanier and Toma Junior Popov defeated Yushi Tanaka 21-15, 21-17 and Koki Watanabe 21-19, 23-21 respectively.
Denmark advanced with a 3-1 win over Thailand.
Anders Antonsen set the tone with a 21-16, 11-21, 21-18 win over Kunlavut Vitidsarn, before Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen’s 15-21, 21-5, 21-17 triumph over Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul.
Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul pulled one back for the Thais by beating Magnus Johannesen 21-17, 21-12, before Mathias Christiansen and Daniel Lundgaard ensured victory by beating Chaloempon Charoenkitamorn and Worrapol Thongsa-nga 21-13, 21-17.
