Lin Dan powers to semis in China

Lin Dan of China falls during his quarter-final match against Lee Dong Keun of South Korea at the Asian Badminton Championship in Wuhan, China on April 29, 2016 -AFP

BEIJING: Badminton star Lin Dan beat his South Korean opponent at the quarter-finals of the Asian Badminton Championship in China on Friday, setting up a semi-final with Malaysian rival Lee Chong Wei.

Lin — ranked third in the world — powered past Lee Dong-keun of South Korea 21-15, 21-11 in a quarter-final match in the central city of Wuhan.

World number two Lee beat Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-16, 21-18 to set up an exciting face-off with his Chinese rival.

In the women’s competition Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara triumphed over China’s Wang Yihan in a hard fought 8-21, 21-13, 21-19 match.

India’s Saina Nehwal set up a semi-final with Okuhara by dispatching China’s Wang Shixian in straight 21-16, 21-19 sets.

Saina, who had lost the last two meetings with Wang, prevailed despite energy-sapping rallies, Indian press agency PTI reported.

The other men’s semi-final will see world Number one Chen Long of China play teammate Tian Houwei.

The championship is worth $500,000 in prize money, according to the organiser’s website which reported the scores. -AFP

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