ZCZC
BSP-21
BADMINTON-CHN
World champion Momota battles into China Open final
SHANGHAI, Nov 10, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – World champion Kento Momota fought back
from a game down to defeat Olympic title-holder Chen Long and reach Sunday’s
final of the Fuzhou China Open badminton tournament.
The Japanese world number one will meet Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen in the
decider after beating China’s Chen 19-21, 21-17, 21-17.
Top seed Momota is chasing a fourth tournament victory in the World Tour
calendar to add to the maiden world title he claimed in August.
But the all-action 24-year-old will have to defeat the fourth seed Chou
first.
Chou pulled off a shock in his semi-final on Saturday when he emphatically
beat another Chinese player, the second seed Shi Yuqi, 21-11, 21-10.
Shi was clearly not at his best because of injury and required medical
treatment during the match.
There was at least something to celebrate for the home crowd in the city
of Fuzhou with victory for China’s Chen Yufei in the women’s semi-finals.
The fourth seed roared back to see off reigning three-time world champion
Carolina Marin of Spain, 11-21, 21-15, 21-13.
In Sunday’s final Chen will meet either fellow Chinese He Bingjiao or
Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1750 hrs