China set up Japan showdown in Sudirman Cup final after routing South Korea in semi-finals
- China ease into final where they will meet Japan for a second successive decider
- China is looking for a record 12th Sudirman Cup title
China thrashed South Korea in the semi-finals of the Sudirman Cup on Saturday to set up a grudge final match against Japan as they look for a record 12th title in Finland.
China will meet regional rivals Japan in a repeat of the 2019 Cup final after the Japanese overcame Malaysia 3-1 in the other last-four clash.
It will be the third time China and Japan have contested the final, and China glided into the decider with mixed doubles pair Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping, Shi Yuqi and Chen Yufei settling matters with little complication.
The doubles pair needed just 44 minutes to dispose of South Korea’s untried pairing of Seo Seung-jae and Shin Seung-chan.
The only time South Korea looked likely to get back into the match was during the men’s singles encounter between an out of sorts Shi and Heo Kwang-hee. A series of unforced errors, a hallmark of Shi’s campaign in Finland so far, allowed Heo, the world No 34, to take the opening game 21-17.
The loss prompted Shi to regroup and an improved second game saw the world No 10 level matters after a 21-9 win. He settled the tie with a 21-11 win in the decider.
It was down to Olympic hero Chen to smooth China’s passage into the final, and she did so with aplomb, taking out An Se-young 2-1 after coming from behind when An burst out of the blocks taking the match to the Olympic champion.
Chen was able to successfully adapt her approach and rounded the teenaged world number eight to set up a third Sudirman Cup final between China and Japan.
“She is quite a solid player,” Chen said, “and I was quite impatient in the opening game. She took advantage of my errors. But after the first game, I was able to adjust myself and bring her to my style of play.”
Japan advanced to the final courtesy of a 3-1 win against Malaysia who had enjoyed a fairy-tale run to the semi-finals in Finland.
The only blot on Japan’s copybook: a surprise loss for world number one Kento Momota against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, 20-22, 19-21.
