Momota sails into China Open final

SHANGHAI: 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 semifinal on Saturday when he emphatically beat another Chinese player, the second seed Shi Yuqi, 21-11, 21-10.