Chinese players seal 1-2 finish in women's singles at Badminton Asia Championships

China's Chen Yufei advanced to the women's singles final at the Badminton Asian Championships with a commanding 21-11, 21-11 victory over South Korea's Sim Yu-jin on Saturday in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

In Sunday's final, Chen will face compatriot Han Yue, who prevailed in an all-Chinese semifinal against Gao Fangjie.

In the men's singles, China's Lu Guangzu staged a dramatic comeback to defeat countryman Li Shifeng 19-21, 21-10, 21-14 in a grueling 78-minute semifinal showdown. The 29-year-old Lu attributed his victory to disciplined play. "I pushed through exhaustion by minimizing unforced errors during extended rallies," he said.

Lu now carries the host nation's hopes into the gold medal match against Thailand's reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who overpowered Singapore's Loh Kean Yew 23-21, 21-10 in the other last-four contest.

Japan's Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida pulled off an upset in the women's doubles semifinals, dethroning China's Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan 21-17, 21-10. The Japanese pair will meet Chinese rising stars Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, who advanced at the expense of compatriots Zhang Shuxian and Zheng Yu.

There was a shock exit in men's doubles as China's defending champions Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang fell to Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. The victorious Malaysians will face the Chinese duo of Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the final.

The title contest in mixed doubles will pit Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet from China's Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) against Japan's Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito.