Chinese shuttlers into all five finals at Badminton Asia Championships

NINGBO, April 13 (Xinhua) -- 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. ■