Zhao Junpeng of China competes in the men's singles semi-final against Prannoy H. S. of India at Indonesia Open badminton tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 18, 2022. /CFP
China dominated at the Indonesian Open on Saturday as shuttlers entered four finals with only the women's doubles title out of touch.
In the men's singles, Zhao Junpeng, 26, defeated India's Prannoy H. S. 21-16, 21-15 in 40 minutes and will meet world No.1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark who beat ace Lee Zii Jia from Malaysia.
Wang Zhiyi of China competes in the women's singles semi-final match against her compatriot He Bingjiao at Indonesia Open badminton tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 18, 2022. /CFP
Meanwhile, China's Wang Zhiyi knocked out fellow Chinese He Bingjiao in the women's singles 21-15, 21-10 in 42 minutes. The 22-year-old will take on Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying who beat Chen Yufei in three sets in another semi- final.
Wang is in an unstoppable form in recent games as she earlier upset World No.1 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi as well as former Olympic champion Spaniard Carolina Marin en route to the final at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong entered the mixed doubles final after defeating their compatriots Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping by 21-6, 21-14 in 33 minutes. Zheng and Huang, ranked No. 2 in the world, will vie against Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino of Japan who defeated South Korean pair Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung in three sets.
China's Huang Yaqiong (L) and Zheng Siwei celebrate after defeating their compatriots Wang Lilyu and Huang Dongping during their mixed doubles semifinal match at Indonesia Open badminton tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 18, 2022. /CFP
Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuanyi beat Malaysian Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the men's doubles semifinal by 21-18, 21-13 to face Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Won-ho of South Korea, who knocked out Denmark's Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in three sets.
No Chinese pair survived the women's doubles quarterfinals on Friday, as world No.1 Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan were beaten by Thai Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai 21-19, 21-15, and Du Yue and Li Wenmei lost to Japan's Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida 14-21, 20-22.
The 2022 Indonesian Open kicked off on June 14 and will end on June 19 at the Istora Senayan sports stadium in the country's capital city of Jakarta, with a total prize of $1.2 million.
(With input from Xinhua)