Yufei in good stead to steer China to 14th crown
PETALING JAYA: Women's singles shuttler Chen Yufei is ready to propel China to another Sudirman Cup crown today after starring in the team's 3-0 victory over Japan in the semi-finals.
Yufei claimed the winning point for the hosts after brilliantly coming from behind to beat long time rival Akane Yamaguchi 17-21, 21-9, 21-16 in a hard fought 76-minute match at the Xiamen Fenghuang Gymnasium yesterday.
Earlier, mixed doubles pair Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping had given China the perfect start when they swept aside Hiroki Midorikawa-Arisa Igarashi 21-11, 21-17.
Then, world No. 1 Shi Yuqi doubled his team's lead by overpowering world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka 21-8, 21-16 in the men's singles.
The victory ensured that China reached the final for an astonishing 16th consecutive edition in the mixed team meet.
The team will be the favourites to win the title for the 14th time and will take on either South Korea or Indonesia in the final.
Yufei is not celebrating just yet as she wants to finish the job first.
'I am very happy with the result but the Sudirman Cup has not ended yet. We will leave the celebrations after we claim the title,' said Yufei in a post match interview with the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
'If I'm fielded in the final, I need to ensure that I'm in my best condition and prepare well.
'The whole team will work together. Everyone is feeling motivated to win the title.
'There will be pressure for both teams in the title-deciding tie but it's important for us to stay confident,' added Yufei.
Both Yufei and Yuqi played important roles in China's triumphs in the past three editions in 2019 (Nanning), 2021 (Vantaa) and 2023 (Suzhou).
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