China tightened their grip on the Badminton Asia Junior Individual Championships 2026 as they secured places in four of the five disciplines heading into Saturday’s semi-finals.
The men’s singles draw, in particular, has been dominated by the Chinese, with three players reaching the last four and moving a step closer to an all-China final.
Seventh seed Luo Jing Yu continued his impressive run with a commanding 21-15, 21-6 victory over Japan’s Daiki Masuda.
He faces Indonesia’s Joe Fardhan Rainanda, the lone player standing in the way of a Chinese clean sweep in the men’s singles. Luo holds a 1-0 advantage in their previous meetings.
Joe edged Malaysia’s eighth seed Kong Wei Xiang 21-19, 22-20 in one of the day’s closest contests.
The other semi-final will be an all-Chinese affair, with Xu Jining taking on Hong Tianyu. Xu overcame Japan’s Osuke Miyazaki 21-11, 16-21, 21-8, while Hong survived a stern test from Malaysia’s Tiew Wei Jie, prevailing 16-21, 21-19, 23-21.
The women’s singles semi-finals will feature a China-Japan battle.
Reigning Asian junior champion Yin Yiqing will meet Japan’s Yurika Nagafuchi, while fourth seed Saki Matsumoto faces China’s Zhang Yixin.
Men’s doubles is the only discipline without a Japanese or Chinese monopoly, although China remain strongly represented. Chinese Taipei’s Huang Tzu-Yuan/Lin Sheng-Min will meet China’s Lyu Xin Ze/Sun Qi Rui, while third seeds Feng Yi Lang/Wei Jian Zhen take on another Chinese Taipei pair, Chen Ping Hsuan/Lee Wei Ting, in the second semi-final.
The host nation’s hopes now rest largely on the women’s doubles.
Ria Haga/Rio Yamakita are up against South Korea’s Kim Han Bi/Yeo Seo Young, while second seeds Aoi Banno/Yuzu Ueno shoulder Japan’s strongest challenge against Malaysia’s Genevie Lim and Low Zi Yu.
China are already guaranteed a place in the mixed doubles final, with Zheng Wei Gang/Li Meng Han drawn against compatriots Sun Qi Rui and Yang Dan in the last four.
Malaysia’s second seeds Ahmad Redzuan/Low Zi Yu will look to deny an all-Chinese final when they meet Chinese Taipei’s Lin Sheng-Ming/Sun Liang Chin in the other semi-final.
