Five-star China romp into Sudirman Cup final with intimidating glamor

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The pink and blue juggernaut just keeps rolling along.

For China, it has been a hell of a seven-day ride in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, all the way from the ruthless thrashing of Malaysia, the unrelenting drubbing of India and the unflinching vanquishment of Denmark to an unlikely semifinal rendezvous with Thailand, who had been arguably the surprise package of the 2019 Sudirman Cup, as attested by their astounding yet devastating elimination of defending champions South Korea in the previous round.

For the briefest of moments, Thailand's dream of sustaining their "kingslayer" momentum flickered. The indefatigable yellow-shirted athletes from the Land of Smiles had displayed the kind of intrepidity that has persistently come to the fore during this badminton showpiece event as they took on the ferocious ten-time champions.

Shi Yuqi roars with delight after his men's singles triumph during the semifinal of the Sudirman Cup in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

Reality, however, would intervene with a thud. Thailand found themselves this time on the wrong end of a virtuoso masterclass from Zhang Jun's formidable, cold-blooded team at the Guangxi Sports Center Gymnasium, where cheers, applause and chants reached ear-splitting levels, as China secured an eagerly awaited place in the final with a 3-0 landslide victory.

For Thailand, there was pride in defeat but also regret, with the biggest one being the failure to punish China in a cracking encounter when their World No.18 talisman Kantaphon Wangcharoen was on top in the men's singles tie against Shi Yuqi.

World No.2 Shi, who was left out of China's squad to face India and Denmark for tactical reasons despite being fit to play, was sharp as a tack right from the start, dominating the early passage of play with his subtle touch and aggressive strokes despite Wangcharoen's stunningly agile footwork and anticipation. Shi quickly took home the opening set 21-15.

The second essay was a different story though, as Wangcharoen returned to step up his game and push to the limit. The 20-year-old did with confidence and audacity, establishing an 11-8 lead before the mid-game interval.

Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand hits a return during a men's singles semifinal of the Sudirman Cup in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

Few saw this wild momentum swing coming, with Shi's utter dominance evaporating in a flurry of errors. But surely, at some point, the gulf in quality was going to make itself felt. It happened in a timely manner here as Wangcharoen was suddenly gasping at thin air, finding himself expertly torn apart in a nail-biting affair.

To his immense credit, Shi showed greater urgency and patience at the end to prevent the danger of a third game, holding his nerve to save four set points before seeing off the challenge from Wangcharoen 26-24.

"The second set was quite intense and at one point I was under huge pressure," said Shi, admittedly much-relieved. "The lead changed hands many times and neither of us could open up a big advantage. But in the end, I managed to eke out a win."

"I think he [Wangcharoen] is brilliant. His pace, technical ability and [winning] mentality really give me a hard time."

World No.1 mixed doubles pair Huang Yaqiong and Zheng Siwei in action during the semifinal of the Sudirman Cup in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

What a game it was for Wangcharoen and Thailand against the hosts in front of a fevered and partisan crowd, the biggest of most of their careers. They just did not have the requisite pedigree when it mattered most.

By the time Wangcharoen tangled with Shi, they had already fallen behind as World no.1 mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong overcame a sluggish start with a relentless attack taking the first match 21-18, 21-7 against Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

Thailand made a valiant attempt to hang on after being 2-0 down but this was not their day. It even got worse. The men's doubles world champions Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen showed no mercy against Tinn Isriyanet and Kittinupong Kedren, with the match ending 21-14, 21-17 in just 44 minutes.

Men's doubles world champions Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen sealed the victory for China during the Sudirman Cup semifinal against Thailand in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, May 25, 2019. /VCG Photo

As the dust settled, Thailand, stumbling eventually at this late stage after an admirably committed performance, will take with them beautiful memories in Nanning.

China will now set their sights on an 11th Sudirman Cup title after achieving the incredible feat of reaching the final 13 times in a row. Their final opponents will surely be a more controlled, intricate presence. But the powerful, intimidating Chinese juggernaut will take some stopping.