Korea: Lin Dan is on course to a back to back title after he reached the men’s singles final at the Asia Badminton Championships (ABC) on Saturday.
Things looked so easy for Lin by beating compatriot Liu Kai 21-14, 21-13 in the semi-finals in just 27 minutes. Lin Dan has been so dominance in ABC, as he has yet to lose a set and win all his games with less than 34 minutes in Gimcheon.
Lin will play against world number 23, Sho Sasaki of Japan, in Sunday’s final. Sho Sasaki defeated Hwang Jong-Soo of South Korea 21-13, 21-15 in another semi-final.
Lin is leading 9-1 in his career meets with Sho Sasaki. Sho defeated Lin once at Indonesia Open in 2011.
Double specialist, South Korean’s Shin Baek-Cheol made it into finals in the men’s doubles and the mixed doubles. Shin teamed up with Yoo Yeon-Seong in men’s doubles to upset the third-seeded tandem of Jongjit Maneepong and Puangpuapech Nipitphon of Thailand, 21-17, 22-20. Shin and Yoo will play Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen of China in men’s doubles final.
In the mixed doubles, Shin and Jang Ye-Na created another upset by beating the number two seed from Thailand, Prapakamol Sudket and Thoungthongkam Saralee, 21-11, 21-12. The Korea pair will play against Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah of Hong Kong, the number three seed.
Korea will secure at least silver in women’s singles and the women’s doubles on Sunday.
Sung Ji-Hyun defeated Japanese Sayaka Takahashi 23-21, 21-13, to set up a matchup against the top-seeded Wang Shixian of China on Sunday women’s singles final. Wang outplayed P.V. Sindhu of India 15-21, 22-20, 21-12 over 78 minutes in the semi-finals.
On the other hand, South Korea’s Kim Ha-Na and Jung Kyung-Eun made the women’s doubles final by knocking out Zhong Qianxin and Xia Huan of China, 21-23, 21-15, 21-16. They will clash with Luo Ying and Luo Yu of China on Sunday, who defeated Ponnappa Ashwini and Gutta Jwata of India 21-12, 21-7 in the semi-finals.
