Yufei comes of age at the World C'ships

China's Chen Yufei returning against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan during their third-round match at the World Championships. She has solidified her burgeoning reputation with two big-name upsets.
China's Chen Yufei returning against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan during their third-round match at the World Championships. She has solidified her burgeoning reputation with two big-name upsets. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

GLASGOW • Chen Yufei announced herself as a new star yesterday when she knocked out Thailand's eighth seed Ratchanok Intanon 14-21, 21-16, 21-12 in the quarter-finals of the badminton World Championships.

The Chinese ninth seed had on Thursday upset Japan's top seed Akane Yamaguchi 21-18, 21-19 in the third round of the women's singles.

The 19-year-old reigning world junior champion will next take on Indian fourth seed P.V. Sindhu, who beat Chinese fifth seed Sun Yu 21-14, 21-9 .

In the men's singles, five-time winner Lin Dan beat Vincent Wong in straight sets to reach the semi-finals.

The 33-year-old Lin, nicknamed "Super Dan" by his fans, defeated the 12th-seeded Wong from Hong Kong 21-17, 21-18 at the Emirates Arena.

"I really enjoyed today's match," said Lin, who was taken to three games in his two previous matches. "I am very happy that I managed to minimise my opponent's performance today. I expect to perform fully to my 100 per cent tomorrow."

Lin, also the Olympic champion in 2008 and 2012, will fight for a final berth against top seed Son Wan Ho of South Korea, who beat India's Srikanth Kidambi 21-14, 21-18 earlier.

"I am really happy with my performance because this is my first semi-final," said Son, who is guaranteed his first world medal. "Srikanth was coming back in the second set and won seven points in a row, and I was getting very nervous. If I had lost the second one, who knows what might have happened?"

Denmark's third seed Viktor Axelsen also made it to the semi-finals when he beat Taiwan's sixth seed Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 20-22, 21-16.

Chinese fifth seed Chen Long was set to play compatriot Tian Houwei in the final quarter-final late yesterday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 26, 2017, with the headline Yufei comes of age at the World C'ships. Subscribe