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Here are the results of the semifinal matches in the various categories:
Women’s singles category:
1st Semifinal – WANG SHIXIAN (CHN) vs YEON JU BAE (KOR)
Asian Games gold medalist and World No. 7 Chinese shuttler Wang Shixian defeated World No. 10 Korean shuttler Yeon Ju Bae 21-19 22-20 in a 51 minute thrilling encounter.
Yeon Ju Bae, who ended the Indian hopes in this category after defeating World No. 4 Saina Nehwal in the second round of the tournament gave a very tough fight to the former World No. 1 Chinese smasher but faltered at the crucial stage. Wang, who was once down to 17-20 in the second game, grabbed the next 5 points in quick succession to clinch the game 22-20.
2nd Semifinal – PORNTIP BURANAPRASERTSUK (THA) vs ERIKO HIROSE (JPN)
In the second semi-final match of the category, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk kept the Thai hopes alive as she completely outclassed the Japanese shuttler Eriko Hirose 21-13 21-8 in a match which lasted for just half an hour.
Japanese shuttler started the match on a positive note as she took a strong 3 points lead in the initial part of the first game. Porntip, who was down 10-12 clinched five points in a row to take the scores at 15-12 and after that it was all Porntip in the first game.
Second game was a completely once sided game as the World No. 12 Japanese shuttler completely surrendered in front of the World No. 18 Thai shuttler.
Men’s Doubles Category:
1st Semifinal - KIEN KEAT KOO/BEE HEONG TAN (MAS) v/s THIEN HOW HOO/WEE KIONG TAN (MAS)
It was an all Malaysian affair in the first semifinal of this category. Kien Keat Koo and Bee Heong Tan who are currently the World No. 6 defeated their countrymen and World ranked 13 pair of Thien How Hoo and Wee Kiong Tan 21-19 15-21 21-18 in a 57 -minute clash.
Unseeded pair of Thien and Wee gave a tough fight to the fourth-seeded pair of Kien and Bee in the opening game but were unfortunate at the decisive part of the game and hence lost 19-21 but they made a brilliant comeback in the next game and completely outclassed their counterparts to win the game 21-15 but it was the experience of the 4th seeds which proved vital in the final game.
2nd Semifinal – GIDEON MARKUS FERNALDI/MARKIS KIDO (INA) vs QIU ZIHAN/LIU XIAOLON (CHN)
In the second semifinal of the category the unseeded Indonesian pair of Gideon and Markus caused a huge upset as they defeated the World No. 5 Chinese pair of Liu and Qiu 16-21 21-19 21-14 in a match which lasted for 58 minutes.
Chinese pair won the first game quite convincingly. Second game was a lot more evenly contested game as both the pairs were fighting hard for each and every point but it was the never say die spirit of the Indonesian pair which ultimately helped them to win the second game. Third game was a totally one sided game as they completely outclassed the higher ranked Chhinese pair.
Mixed doubles category:
1st Semifinal - NAN ZHANG/YUNLEI ZHAO (CHN) vs CHRIS ADCOCK/GABRIELLE WHITE (ENG)
In the first match on day 6 of the tournament the top-seeded Chinese pair of Nan Zhang and Yunlei Zhao defeated the unseeded English pair of Chris Adcock and Gabrielle White 18-21 21-14 21-13 in a match which was played for over an hour.
World No. 13 pair of Adcock and White, who caused a huge upset in the Quarterfinals after defeating the World No. 3 pair of Tontowi Ahmed and Lilyana Natsir 20-22 17-21 kept their calm in the closely fought opening game and took the game 21-18 in 21 minutes.
Chinese pair, who recently won the Yonex Denmark Open Superseries title cameback strongly in the next two games and completely outclassed their English counterparts.
2nd Semifinal – MA JIN/CHEN XU (CHN) vs SUDKET PRAPAKAMOL/SARALEE THOUNGTHONGKAM (THA)
In the second semifinal in this category the second-seeded Chinese pair of Ma Jin and Chen Xu defeated the Thai pair of Sudket and Saralee 21-12 21-19 in just 39 minutes.
World No. 7 Thai pair pair were absolutely no match for the World No. 3 Chinese pair in the opening game. Ma and Xu, who are also the London Olympics Silver medalist, won the first game in just 16 minutes.
Thai pair gave a tough fight to the second-seeded Chinese pair in the next game. Chinese pair, who were once down 12-17 in the second game grabbed the next 6 points in a row to take a one point lead and then won the game 21-19.
Women’s Doubles Category:
1st Semifinal – QING TIAN/YUNLEI ZHAO (CHN) vs YE NA JANG/SO YOUNG KIM (KOR)
5th seeds and World No. 15 Chinese duo of Tian and Zhao defeated the Korean combo of Ye Na and So Young 16-21 21-17 21-10 in a match which lasted for exactly one hour.
The Korean pair won the first game by 21-16. In the second game, the Chinese duo answered strongly and crushed the Danish pair by 17-21. In the final game the Chinese pair once again prevailed over their Korean opponents to take the game 21-10.
2nd Semifinal – BAO YIXIN/JINHUA TANG (CHN) vs NITYA MAHESWARI/GREYSIA POLII (INA)
In the second semi-final of the category, the Chinese duo of Bao Yixin and Jinhua Tang managed to defeat the Indonesian pair of Greysia Polii and Nitya Maheswari. Even after losing the first-game by 19-21, the Chinese pair didn’t bow down and clinched the next two games by 21-10 and 21-19.
Chinese pair, who are currently the World No. 36 defeated the World No. 23 Indonesian pair in a match which lasted for an hour and 10 minutes.
So it will be an all Chinese affair in the Womens and Mixed doubles category of the tournament.
Men’s Singles Category:
1st semifinal – JAN O JORGENSEN (DEN) vs TANONGSAK SAENSOMBOONSUK (THA)
In the first semifinals of the men’s singles category the World No. 7 Danish shuttler Jan O Jorgensen defeated the World No. 13 Thai smasher Tanongsak 21-18 18-21 21-10 in a 50 minute match.
Tanongsak who shattered the Indian dreams in the second round after defeating Anand Pawar gave a tough fight to the higher ranked opponent in the first two games but was completely outplayed by the 4th seeded Danish player in the third and final game.
2nd Semifinal – LEE CHONG WEI (MAS) vs KENICHI TAGO (JPN)
3rd seed and World No. 4 Kenichi Tago caused the biggest upset of the tournament as he defeated the World No. 1 and two time Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia 21-17 16-21 12-21 in a match which ended in 61 minutes.
Both the players gave their best to win the prestigious USD 200,000 tournament but it was the World No. 4 Japanese shuttler who prevailed over the more experienced Malaysian shuttler.
The Japanese shuttler came from a game behind to beat the top seeded Chong Wei to advance to the final of the French Open at the Pierre De Coubertin Stadium in Paris.
