China beat Iran for semis at Asian Table Tennis Team Championships

Defending champions China were made to work to secure a 3-1 win over Iran at the Asian Table Tennis Team Championships in India on Monday.

World No. 2 Lin Shidong met Benyamin Faraji in the opening contest. The 15-year-old Faraji upset Wang Chuqin at last year's event and he produced another shock against Lin with a 3-2 win for the Iranians to lead 1-0 overall. 

Liang Jingkun made things all square by beating Noshad Alamian in the second match. The world No. 7 conceded the first game 11-8 but took the next three 13-11, 11-8, 13-11 to clinch the win.

World No. 1 Wang then made easy work of Amir Hodeyi with a straight-games sweep to put China in front.

Lin came back to the table and beat Alamian, also in straight games, for China to win 3-1. They will next face Japan in the semifinals.

On the women's side, last year's runners-up China went past Thailand 3-0. World No. 2 Wang Manyu played first for the Chinese side and overcame Orawan Paranang with ease.

Then world No. 1 Sun Yingsha beat Suthasini Sawettabut 11-7, 11-8, 13-11 to put her side 2-0 up.

World No. 4 Kuai Man eased past Jinnipa Sawettabut 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 for the 3-0 overall win. South Korea await in the semifinals on Tuesday.