Victory did not come easy for defending champion Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei but she did enough to defeat India's Saina Nehwal in the semi-finals to reach her third successive women's singles final in the Wuhan City of Automobile Badminton Asia Championships in Wuhan on Saturday.
With the win Tzu Ying, the top seed stretched her head to head count to 11-5 to maintain her supremacy over the Indian who was recently crowned the Commonwealth Games champion in Gold Coast, Australia.
"Yes it is my second successive final. It was tough playing Saina and the close scores speak of the way the match went. Both games were close affairs but I am glad that I made it to the final," said Tzu Ying after the 45-minute match.
Tzu Ying will play China's former world junior champion and sixth seed Chen Yufei who surprisingly had an easier path to the final in her 21-12, 21-13 over seventh seed and seventh seed Sung Ji-hyun of Korea,
SEMI-FINALS
Women's singles
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Saina Nehwal (Ind) 27-25, 21-19
Chen Yufei (Chn) beat Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) 21-12, 21-13
