(*Credit image: PBSI)
Indonesia stunned defending champions China 3-2 in their Group Z match in the E-Plus Badminton Asia Team Championships at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium in Alor Setar, Malaysia on Thursday.
Despite the defeat China are still the favourites and advanced to the knockout stage as the group runners-up – riding on their 5-0 win over Singapore in the three-team group.
Indonesia's second doubles pair of Della Destiara Haris-Rizki Amelia fought a three-game battle against Cao Tong Wei-Yu Zheng 21-14, 19-21, 23-21 for the winning point after China had reduced the deficit to 1-2 through He Bingjiao in the second women's singles.
Bingjiao defeated Gregoria Mariska 23-21-, 21-10.
Indonesia won the first point through Fitriani Fitriani who came back from a game down to beat Chen Yufei 16-21, 21-12, 21-15 before Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu made it 2-0 for their team with a straight games 21-18, 21-12 victory over Du Yue-Li Yunhui in the first doubles.
"We did not expect to get the winning point for our team. The Chinese were the favourites but we just raise our game to match them in every aspect of the match," said Rizki Amelia after the win.
India fielded a new look side against Japan in their final Group W match in their 4-1 defeat with Ashwini Ponnappa playing both in the singles and the doubles with her regular partner N. Sikki Reddy.
Ashwini Ponnappa played her first ever singles match in an international tournament – as third singles against Aya Ohori.
The Japanese won 21-14, 21-12 to give Japan a 2-1 lead.
India's Rio Olympics silver medallist P.V. Sindhu gave India the opening point with a 21-19, 21-15 win over Akane Yamaguchi but Sayaka Sato leveled things up for her team, defeating Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli 21-12, 21-12.
"This is my first time playing a singles match in an international tournament. This is fun as I also played in the doubles with Sikki. A good experience for me," said Ashwini after the match.
Japan topped the group and India finished second to advance to the quarter-finals. The other team in the group was Hong Kong China.
RESULTS (Feb 8)
MEN
GROUP A
China beat Hong Kong China 5-0
(China first)
MS1: Shi Yuqi beat Angus Ng Ka Long 21-17, 21-10
MD1: He Jiting-Tan Qiang beat Or Chin Chung-Tang Chun Man 12-21, 21-15, 21-15
MD2: Han Chengkai-Zhou Haodong beat Chang Tak Ching-Yeung Ming Nok 21-12, 21-14
MS3: Zhao Junpeng beat Lee Cheuk Yu 21-19, 21-14
WOMEN
GROUP W
Japan beat India 4-1
(Japan first)
WS1: Akane Yamaguchi lost to P.V. Sindhu 19-21, 15-21
WS2: Sayaka Sato beat Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli 21-12, 21-12
WS3: Aya Ohori beat Ashwini Ponnappa 21-14, 21-12
WD2: Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto beat Sanyogita Ghorpade-Prajakta Sawant 21-17, 21-17
WD1: Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi beat Ashwini Ponnappa-N.Sikki Reddy 21-18, 21-18
GROUP X
Korea beat Chinese Taipei 5-0
(Korea first)
WS1: Sung Ji-hyun beat Pai Yu Po 21-12, 23-21
WD1: Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan beat Hsu Ya-ching-Wu Ti-jung 21-19, 21-13
WS2: Lee Jang-mi beat Lee Chia-hsin 21-11, 21-10
WD2: Chang Ye-na-Kim Hye-rin beat Chiang Kai-hsin-Hung Shih-han 21-13, 21-17
WS3: Jeon Joo-i beat Chiang Mei Hui 21-19, 21-18
GROUP Z
Indonesia beat China 3-2
(Indonesia first)
WS1: Fitriani Fitriani beat Chen Yufei 16-21, 21-12, 21-15
WD1: Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu 21-18, 21-12
WS2: Gregoria Mariska lost to He Bingjiao 21-23, 10-21
WD2: Della Destiara Haris-Rizki Amelia Pradipta 21-14, 19-21, 23-21
WS3: Ruselli Hartawan lost to Chen Xiaoxin 17-21, 17-21