Japan's Nozomi creates history at World Championships
Japan's Nozomi Okuhara wrote another piece of badminton history for country by becoming the first Japanese woman shuttler to reach the women's singles final in the World Championships.
The former All England champion achieved the feat at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday when the seventh seed came back from a game down to beat India's Saina Nehwal 12-21, 21-17, 21-10 in 73 minutes.
India, however, will have Rio Olympics silver medal winner P.V. Sindhu keep her country's flag flying in Glasgow. The fourth seeded Sindhu demolished China's world junior champion Chen Yufei 21-13, 21-10.
Defending and two-time champion Chen Long of China was bundled out of the championships in Glasgow - falling to a shock 9-21, 10-21 defeat to Denmark's Olympics bronze medallists Viktor Axelsen in only 39 minutes.
While Chen Long fell by the wayside veteran Lin Dan showed no mercy when he whipped Korean top seed Son Wan-ho 21-17, 21-14 in 58 minutes to march into his seventh world championships final.
Lin Dan has won the world title five times and could make it six on Sunday. His only defeat was in 2005 when he was beaten by Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat in the final.
"Age is not a factor...it all about hardwork," the Chinese ace was quoted by the BWF website.
"I worked hard to reach the final. I am happy to practice every day and that is why I play at high level," he added.
Olympic champions Misakai Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi, the women's doubles top seeds from Japan are also out of the tournament. The Japanese fell to a 17-21, 15-21 defeat to China's fourth seeds Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan in 55 minutes.
However, Japan will feature in the women's doubles final when ninth seeds Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota stunned number two seeds Kamilla Rhytter Juhl-Christina Pedersen of Denmark.
The Japanese subdued the Olympics silver medal winners 21-17, 19-21, 21-14 after a marathon 78-minute battle.
Indonesia's Olympics champions Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir stayed on course to add the world title when the third seeds bundled out Hong Kong's Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah 21-16, 21-13.
The Indonesians will face top seeds Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen of China for the title. The Chinese pair dumped Europe's hope Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock - the husband and wife team from England - 21-15, 23-21.
Chen Qingchen is the only player who will feature in two finals in Glasgow.
RESULTS (ALL SEMI-FINALS)
Men's singles
Viktor Axelsen (DEN) beat Chen Long (CHN) 21-9, 21-10
Lin Dan (CHN) beat Son Wan-ho (KOR) 21-17, 21-14
Men's doubles
Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan (CHN) beat Chai Biao-Hong Wei (CHN) 21-17, 21-19
Mohammad Ahsan-Rian Agung Saputro (INA) beat Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda (JPN) 21-12, 21-15
Women's singles
Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) beat Saina Nehwal (IND) 12-21, 21-17, 21-10
P.V. Simdhu (IND) beat Chen Yufei (CHN) 21-13, 21-10
Women's doubles
Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan (CHN) beat Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) 21-17, 21-13
Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (JPN) beat Kamilla Ryhtter Juhl-Christina Pedersen (DEN) 21-17, 19-21, 21-14
Mixed doubles
Tontowi Ahmad-LIliyana Natsir (INA) beat Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (HKG) 21-16, 21-13
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (CHN) beat Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock (ENG) 21-15, 23-21
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