Asia versus Europe in men's singles semis in Yonex Japan Open
Five-time winner Lee Chong Wei took another step nearer to winning his sixth Yonex Japan Open Superseries men's singles title when he strolled into the semi-finals with a 21-12, 21-12 win over China's Shi Yuqi in the quarter-finals.
The top seeded Malaysian completed his task against the Chinese qualifier in 40 minutes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium to earn a semi-final clash against Germany's Marc Zwiebler who often trains with the world No 1.
The German came back from a set down to beat India's eight seed K. Srikanth 18-21, 21-14, 21-19 in a 58 minute encounter.
The other semi-final encounter will pit third seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark against South Korea's sixth seed Son Wan-ho.
Wan-ho cut down Olympic bronze medal winner Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in straight sets 21-18, 21-13 in 46 minutes while Jorgensen was too strong for Thailand qualifier Khosit Phetpradap 21-6, 21-16 in only 33 minutes.
There were also upsets in the women's singles when defending champion Nozomi Okuhara fell to her first defeat to compatriot Akane Yamaguchi in seven outings . Akane won 21-11, 23-21 in 45 minutes.
Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon, who was hoping to make up for her disappointment of not winning a medal in the Rio Olympics was also knocked out from the semi-finals by China's Youth Olympic champion He Bingjiao 22-20, 14-21, 24-22.
In the other quarter-final matches Sun Yu of China beat Japan's Sayaka Takahashi 21-14, 21-9 while Aya Ohori fought a three-set battle with compatriot Ayumi Mine before prevailing 16-21, 21-17, 21-19 win in 79 minutes to reach her first Superseries semi-finals.
Indonesia's Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan, the second seeds, made the last four with an easy 21-18, 21-15 win in 30 over China's Huang Kaixiang-Wang Yilyu. They next face Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China who crushed third seeds Matias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark 21-17, 21-18.
Korea's Kim Gi-jung-Ko Sung-hyun (seeded No 7) were too strong for Taiwan's Lee Jhe-huei-Lee Yang and won 21-12, 21-14 while Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda defeated compatriots Hiroyuki Saeki-Ryota Taohata 16-21, 21-15, 21-17 in their quarter-final matches.
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Men's singles
Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Shi Yuqi (Chn) 21-12, 21-12
Son Wan-ho (Kor) beat Viktor Axelsen (Den) 21-18, 21-13
Jan O Jorgensen (Den) beat Khosit Phetpradap (Tha) 21-6, 21-16
Marc Zwiebler (Ger) beat K. Srikanth (Ind) 18-21, 21-14, 21-19
Men's doubles
Li Junhui-Liu Yucehn (Chn) beat Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) 21-17, 21-18
Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) beat Huang Kaixiang-Wang Yilyu (Chn) 21-18, 21-15
Kim Gi-jung-Ko Sung-hyun (Kor) beat Lee Jhe-huei-Lee Yang (Tpe) 21-12, 21-14
Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) beat Hiroyuki-Ryota Taohata (Jpn) 16-21, 21-15, 21-17
Women's singles
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) beat Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 21-11, 23-21
Aya Ohori (Jpn) beat Ayumi Mine (Jpn) 16-21, 21-17, 21-19
Sun Yu (Chn) beat Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-14, 21-9
He Bingjiao (Chn) beat Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 22-20, 14-21, 24-22
Women's doubles
Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) beat Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei (Mas) 20-22, 23-21, 21-14
Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) beat Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongjai (Tha) 21-11, 21-8
Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) beat Puttita Supajirakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 16-21, 21-15, 21-19
Luo Ying-Luo Yu (Chn) beat Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito (Jpn) 21-18, 21-10
Mixed doubles
Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) beat Kim Gi-jung-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) 21-17, 21-18
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) beat Puavaranukroh Dechapol-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-13, 17-21, 23-21
Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na (Kor) beat Niphitphon Puangphuapet-Jongkolphan Kititharakul (Tha) 21-12, 21-8
Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong (Chn) beat Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) 21-18, 21-16
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