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Reigning China to meet Indonesia in Uber semis
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-13 10:12
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KUALA LUMPUR - The world's leading women shuttler Wang Yihan held back the challenge from India's No. 1 Saina Nehwal to ensure China a 3-0 win in the Uber Cup quarterfinals here Wednesday while the host Malaysia team was tumbled by the former champion Indonesia.
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 China's Wang Yihan returns a shot to India's Saina Nethwal during the quarter-final round of the Uber Cup badminton championship in Kuala Lumpur May 12, 2010. [Agencies] |
China, seeking their seventh straight Uber Cup, had a slight scare when Wang Yihan was taken to the limit by world's sixth-ranked Nehwal before winning 14-21, 21-11, 21-18.
"I was nervous in the first set, and not so much dedicated into the game," said Wang, who defeated Nehwal in the final of 2006 World Junior Championships. "I tried to be patient in the second set and thus successfully took back the control on court."
"It was the first tough match that I had come into, which helped me to be more confident and well prepared for the upcoming matches," she added.
The Chinese then proved themselves to be too strong for the Indians in both the first doubles and the second singles clashes. Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli won over Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa 21-8, 21-11 before Wang Xin clinched the winning point with a 21-10, 21-14 victory over Sayali Gokhale.
China will take on the former women's team champion Indonesia for a final spot, who shattered the host Malaysia's hope of making their first ever Uber Cup semifinals with a 3-0 win.
Malaysia's chief coach Rashid Sidek said it was really a disappointing result as they prepared well and were expecting for a better performance.
"We had expected Malaysia to give better performance, and we were well prepared," said Sidek. "We depended on Mew Choo to give us the first point as she had a good record against her opponent, but it never happened. The first doubles was a 50-50 affair but we lost it too."
The first single Wong Mew Choo failed to boost the team with a first point where she was upset by Indonesia's second single Adriyanti Firdasari 21-9, 21-16. And it was all over for the Malaysian women when former world No. 1 doubles Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hui lost to Polii Greysia/Jauhari Meiliana 26-24, 21-18 in the first doubles clash.
Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti sealed the victory for her team with a 21-19, 21-16 win over Tee Jing Yee in the second single match.
In the other half zone, Japan ousted Denmark 3-1 to set up a semifinal against South Korea, who stopped the Russians in the quarterfinals 3-1.
