Osaka (Japan): Olympic champion Chen Yufei will face two-time reigning world titlist, Akane Yamaguchi, in the semifinals of the Japan Open on Saturday in a rematch of last Sunday’s world championships women’s singles final.
Chen beat Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia 21-17, 21-6 to set up a showdown with the Japanese star, who ousted Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand 21-18, 21-18.
Yamaguchi won a three-set thriller five days ago to record her fourth straight victory over Chen, who lost 14 times in their 22 meetings.
“I feel no pressure since I just lost to her last week,” Chen said. “I will try not to make the same mistakes and do my best.”
Yamaguchi said that she has been playing “her best badminton” of her career, but Chen said that her best days have not come.
“I still have a lot of space to improve,” she said.
The other semifinal will be played between the second seed Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei and the third seed An Seyoung of South Korea.
Tai defeated eighth seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-19, 21-18 while An upset three-time world champion Carolina Marin of Spain 21-18, 13-21, 21-17.
In the men’s section, China’s Shi Yuqi, playing his second tournament after coming out of a 10-month suspension, cruised past Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand 21-6, 21-13.
The 2018 world silver medallist will next play fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, who fought off a hard challenge from India’s H.S. Prannoy to win 21-17, 15-21, 22-20.
The other semifinal pits Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto against third seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark.
Nishimoto beat Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo of Indonesia 14-21, 21-17, 21-18 and Antonsen routed Japan’s Kanta Tsuneyama 21-11, 21-12.
–IANS
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