China is eyeing a sweep of titles at the Badminton Asia Championships with its shuttlers set to compete in the finals of five categories, including securing both final berths in the women's singles.
In a gripping men's singles semifinal, China's top seed Shi Yuqi lost to newly-crowned All-England champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. After clinching the first game 21-18, Shi lost his rhythm while Christie gradually took control and bounced back to emerge victorious 21-19, 21-12.
"In the last two games, I didn't find a way to turn it around. I will learn from this loss," Shi said.
The other men's singles semifinal witnessed an 82-minute battle between China's Li Shifeng and Kodai Naraoka from Japan, where Li prevailed 14-21, 21-15, 21-12.
In the two all-China women's singles semifinals, Olympic champion Chen Yufei outlasted Han Yue 21-15, 21-16, setting up a final clash against Wang Zhiyi, who overcame He Bingjiao 21-19, 21-17.
In the men's doubles category, home favorites Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang needed only 35 minutes to ease past Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan of Chinese Taipei 21-17, 21-17. In the title showdown, they will take on Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, who beat their compatriots Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-14, 21-18.
China's Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, top seeds in the women's doubles, were eliminated by their teammates Zhang Shuxian and Zheng Yu 21-14, 21-16, and the latter will vie for the title against South Korea's Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee.
Mixed doubles world No. 1 Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China fell to world champions Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung 21-9, 13-21, 16-21. The South Korean duo will face fellow Chinese pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in the final.
Former footballer Joe Thompson, 35, is diagnosed with cancer for the third time
Loosening building products red tape 'good first step'
Mother, 24, outraged after learning shopping centre bathroom with baby changing facilities has CCTV
Trump accepts a VP debate but wants it on Fox News. Harris has already said yes to CBS
Listen up: Northland to test tsunami sirens
Kate will 'lean on' her trusted nanny Maria Borrallo as she recovers from abdominal surgery
Norway's Arctic north wants to bring in a 26
A warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest was requested. But no decision was made about whether to issue it
The fightback begins: Boss of London's Queen Mary University tells pro
China jails Canadian tycoon Xiao Jianhua for 13 years for finance crimes