China took a step closer to their first Women’s Division Badminton Asia Team Championships crown on home soil where they will face Korea in the final tomorrow at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium.
In the semifinals, China walked off 3-0 winners over Chinese Taipei, as Korea outplayed Indonesia 3-1.
China, the inaugural winner in 2016, earned the first point through the hard work of world No. 10 Gai Fang Jie, who took an energy-sapping 88 minutes before taking the 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 win over world No. 14 Chiu Pin-Chian.
The duo of Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian coast through in the first Women’s Doubles, taking just over half an hour, to be followed by another hard-fought point by Xu Wen Jing in the second Women’s Singles.
The 18-year-old Wen Jing conceded the first set 16-21 to veteran Lin Hsiang-Ti, who was ranked at least 100 rungs above her.
However, Wen Jing showed a lot of composure at home when she turned the tables to take the next two sets, 21-10, 21-13 in 64 minutes.
In the meantime, Lee Seo-jin-Lee Yeon-woo delivered the crucial point for Korea’s place in the final, after beating Indonesia 3-1 in the other semifinal tie.
The Koreans, who were denied the title in 2022 by Indonesia, were more determined this time around when they took the first point through world No. 17 Kim Ga-eun’s quick win in the first Women’s Singles and then one half of world No. 3 Baek Ha-na, partnering Kim Hye-jeong’s triumphant appearance in the first Women’s Doubles.
Ha-na-Hye-jeong took 54 minutes to set aside Rachel Allessya Rose-Febi Setianingrum, 21-14, 21-10.
And while Ni Kadek Kadek Pratiwi managed to give Indonesia a lifeline when she took the second Women’s Singles, Korea held out for the well-deserved victory through the tenacity of Seo-jin-Yoon-woo’s victory in the decisive second Women’s Doubles.
In the duel that lasted a good 64 minutes, Seo-jin-Yoon-woo battled down Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi-Siti Fadia Ramadhanti 21-19, 21-19.
ENDS
