CHANGZHOU, Jiangsu Province, Sept. 17 -- Chinese badminton team were on verge of another clean sweep after last month's world championships as they had secured one-two in three of the five events on Saturday.
Shuttlers from other teams could spoil China's party in men's and mix doubles' finals on Sunday, but the tough opponents they have to face are still Chinese, while the men's singles, women's singles and doubles were in an all-Chinese affair.
However, Lin Dan and Wang Yihan, the newly-crowned world champions in both men's and women's singles, suffered defeats when facing their teammates in the semi-finals.
Lin suffered his third loss in this season as he was stopped by teammate Chen Jin 25-23, 21-15. "Super Dan", who
blast past Japan's Sho Sasaki 21-15, 21-6 on Friday, was obviously not in his best form.
Earlier, the only non-Chinese top four in men's singles Peter Hoeg Gade of Denmark was ousted by Chinese Chen Long 21-18, 21-14. Therefore, Chinese shuttlers had secured one-two in men's singles no matter what the result of Lin-Chen clash is.
"Yesterday's match is against foreign player, but this match is within our team, it is different. The gold has already belonged to China," explained the 28-year-old Lin. Two Chens will fight for the title in Sunday's final.
Top seed Wang Yihan was knocked out by fourth seeded Jiang Yanjiao in just 38 minutes 21-15, 21-15. Jiang's final opponent is second seeded Wang Shixian, who needed three minutes less to beat third seeded Wang Xin 21-12, 21-18.
Chinese shuttlers were also dominant in women's doubles. Teenagers Xia Huan and Tang Jinhua continued their shinning journey, stunning Japanese third seeded Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa 21-10, 21-18.
The pairs, both 19, has also knocked out world championships bronze medalists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa of India, Japanese second seeded Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna, and teammates Cheng Shu and Pan Pan on the way to final.
It is only the third BWF Superseries for the Chinese hopeful. "We are young, so we just keep a learning attitude and try our best in every match," said Tang.
Tang and Xia will challenge world No.1 Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli in the final. The defending champion fought through hard resistance from world No. 4 Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei a close 24-22, 18-21, 21-19 triumph.
Defending champion Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China entered the men's doubles final by beating South Korea's Sung Hyun Ko and Yeon Seong Yoo 26-24, 21-18 in a repeat of the world championship final.
The pair will face Jae Sung Jung and Yong Dae Lee of South Korea, a winner over Denmark's Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen 21-18, 16-21, 21-17.
In mixed doubles, South Korea's Yeon Seong Yoo and Ye Na Jang, a winner over India's dark horse Diju V. and Jwala Gutta 6-21, 21-19, 21-19, will try to stop China's Xu Chen and Ma Jin, who defeated Denmark's Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen in straight games 21-15, 22-20.