Defending champions China power past Japan to reach Sudirman Cup final
XIAMEN: Defending champions China advanced to the final of badminton's Sudirman Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over Japan on Saturday, captivating the home crowd as they close in on a record-extending 14th title.
China's world number two mixed doubles pair Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping set the tone, beating Hiroki Midorikawa-Arisa Igarashi 21-11, 21-17 in the opener. Top seed Shi Yu Qi then crushed eighth-ranked Kodai Naraoka 21-8, 21-16 in the men's singles to hand China a 2-0 lead.
Japan showed resilience in the women's singles, where Akane Yamaguchi, who had won 21 of her previous 33 encounters with Chen Yu Fei, pushed the Tokyo Games champion to three games but Chen held her nerve to prevail 17-21, 21-9, 21-16.
China, who have won the biennial mixed team championship 13 times, will meet either four-times champions South Korea or 1989 winners Indonesia in the final, with the two teams facing off in their semi-final clash later this evening. - Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Mexico City mayor pledges warm welcome for all 2026 World Cup fans
Soccer Football - World Cup - Mexico holds event to mark one year to go until the World Cup - General Prim, Mexico City, Mexico - June 11, 2025 Mexico City Host City Director Felix Aguirre, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada, Mexico FIFA Director Jurgen Mainka, Italian former player Alessandro Del Piero and Mexico City's Secretary of Tourism Alejandra Frausto present the countdown clock during the event REUTERS/Raquel Cunha MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico City will embrace fans from all nations and cultures during the 2026 World Cup, Mayor Clara Brugada said on Wednesday as she unveiled the countdown clock marking one year to the tournament's return to the Mexican capital. As the city prepares to host the World Cup for the third time, Brugada stressed the importance of inclusion and openness, framing a contrast to anti-immigration measures in co-host nation the United States under President Donald Trump "All football fans are welcome here. In this city, no one is a foreigner," Brugada said at the FIFA event. "We will joyfully welcome those who come from all corners of the globe, with their music, their colours, their languages and their passion. We think diversity is our greatest treasure." "Today is a very special day for Mexico City. We are exactly 365 days away from opening our doors to the world and hosting, for the third time, the opening of a World Cup, something that no other city on the planet has ever achieved." Addressing concerns from residents near the Azteca Stadium, Mayor Brugada assured them that they would benefit from over six billion pesos in investments aimed at upgrading public services and infrastructure. "We will strengthen the rights of residents with more water, better public spaces and more services," she said. "We are therefore building a legacy, and that is something that fills us with pride. That is why we have made a historic investment in works, infrastructure, water, security and mobility." In addition, as part of the festivities leading up to the 2026 World Cup, more than 40 buildings and landmarks in Mexico City will be illuminated in green on Wednesday night. (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Sonali Paul)
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Auckland coach readies part-time squad for Club World Cup's 'toughest group'
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Draw - Miami, Florida, United States - December 5, 2024, General view of the Club World Cup trophy after the draw REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo (Reuters) -Auckland City's players aren't full-time professionals and many have taken annual leave to compete in the Club World Cup where they face what coach Paul Posa calls "the toughest group". New Zealand's champions, who are fresh from winning the OFC Champions League, will face Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors in Group C of the revamped tournament, which starts on Saturday, and Posa acknowledged their uphill battle. "It's quite possibly the toughest group we could have drawn," Posa, who guided them to fifth place in the old Club World Cup in 2009, told Reuters. "We have two traditional European powerhouses in Bayern Munich and Benfica and Boca Juniors, who are also capable of going all the way." "We have competed in many of the previous versions of the CWC competition which has given us a broad range of experience allowing us to punch above our weight in the past. Our goals are to be prepared, and compete, to the best of our ability," he added. Auckland enter the 32-team tournament months after claiming their 13th Oceania title and fourth in succession. Yet despite continental success, football remains a part-time commitment for the squad. "All of the players have other jobs alongside their football commitments," said Posa. "However, they have an extraordinary dedication to their football outside of their working hours. "Players have had to take annual leave from their jobs... Indeed some of the players were unable to take time to attend both the OFC Champions League competition and the Club World Cup." The mid-June to mid-July tournament timing means it falls during Auckland's season rather than after it, as the previous version of the competition did. "Thechallenge of having the CWC fall in the middle of the season has been ensuring that players are in top form at the right times - however I believe we're on track to achieve this," said Posa. Serving as caretaker coach for Albert Riera, who's away for family reasons, Posa previously managed Auckland from 2008-2010. During the 2009 Club World Cup, they defeated UAE's Shabab Al Ahli and DR Congo's TP Mazembe to finish fifth. The 63-year-old acknowledged how difficult it would be to repeat his 2009 success: "It's nice to dream we could be that competitive again - however, we're realistic about the challenge." While temporary, Posa has maintained Auckland's established playing style. "It has not been difficult to maintain a playing philosophy that has evolved at Auckland City over many years. Of course, every coach puts their own fingerprint on a team," he said. This stability underpins Auckland's continued success. "This comes down to building on experience gained in previous competitions and a consistent focus on being well organised and prepared, both on and off the pitch," Posa said. "The culture surrounding the team is such that they always want to win and motivating them is no problem at all." (Reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo, editing by Toby Davis)
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Golf-Scheffler and DeChambeau set for ultimate U.S. Open test at Oakmont
FILE PHOTO: Masters champion Scottie Scheffler hits off the first tee as he starts a practice round at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., April 6, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -Scottie Scheffler will be the clear favourite when the U.S. Open begins on Thursday at Oakmont Country Club where the devilish course is sure to torment many of the world's best players vying for the year's third major title. There are 156 players in the field this week but it is the familiar trio of world number one Scheffler, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and Masters winner Rory McIlroy who are commanding much of the attention at Oakmont. Scheffler enters the U.S. Open in stellar form having secured three wins in his last four starts. His driving proficiency and unflappable temperament make him well suited to be in contention come Sunday. The notoriously challenging Oakmont, which is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, will demand pinpoint accuracy off the tee given the five-inch rough lining the narrow fairways that lead to lightning fast greens on the par-70 layout. "There's not really many areas where you step on the tee box and you're like, hey, I can miss it right here, hey, I can shade towards the left side of the fairway because right is really bad," said Scheffler. "Actually, if you hit it in the right rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green; if you hit it in the left rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green. So might as well try and split the difference there and hit it in the middle." A win for Scheffler would put him alongside Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth as the only active players with three legs of the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors and give him a shot at completing the feat at the July 17-20 British Open. FAN FAVOURITE Big-hitting DeChambeau, who went close at the year's first two majors, is looking to become the first repeat U.S. Open winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018. DeChambeau, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field this week, is a fan favourite and fully expects to use their energy to help him get across the finish line and collect a third major title. "It's been a lot of fun just experiencing what the fans are giving me. It's so much energy," said DeChambeau, who briefly held the final-round lead at the Masters in April and finished runner-up at the PGA Championship last month. "The only reason why I'm still here with this much energy is because of them, and even last week (at the LIV Golf event) in Virginia, the crowds were really great and pumping me on. "Am I tired? For sure. But am I excited? I'm more excited than I am tired." 'BEST ATTITUDE' World number two McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam at this year's Masters but has struggled since, will be hoping to get his mojo back but enters the week fresh off his first missed cut of the season. The Northern Irishman, a U.S. Open runner-up the last two years, has been errant off the tee ever since being forced to switch drivers at the PGA Championship where his preferred one was considered non-conforming following a routine inspection. Despite a less-than-ideal build-up to the U.S. Open, McIlroy pronounced himself ready for a test that will challenge both the physical and mental parts of players' games. "It's very penal if you miss. Sometimes it's penal if you don't miss," McIlroy said of Oakmont's rough. "But the person with the most patience and the best attitude this week is the one that's going to win." Among the other favourites this week are British Open champion Xander Schauffele, Spaniard Jon Rahm, Swede Ludvig Aberg and Ireland's Shane Lowry. Six-times major winner Mickelson, a record six-times U.S. Open runner-up who will celebrate his 55th birthday on Monday, needs a win this week to complete the career Grand Slam. This is the final year of Mickelson's five-year exemption into the U.S. Open for winning the 2021 PGA Championship and he has said this could be his last start at the major. (Reporting by Frank PingueEditing by Toby Davis)
