JAKARTA: Japan´s Akane Yamaguchi soundly beat Taiwan´s world number one Tai Tzu-ying at badminton´s Indonesia Open on Saturday to reach the women´s final.
Yamaguchi, who is ranked world number four, defeated an out-of-sorts Tai 21-9, 21-15 in a little over 30 minutes at Jakarta´s Istora Senayan Stadium.
"This is my first Indonesian Open final -- I´m very happy," Yamaguchi said after the match.
She will play India´s Pusarla V. Sindhu.
The 25-year-old Tai said she was not feeling well and was unable to play at her best.
"Today I couldn´t play at my usual speed," Tai said. "So my performance was hampered a little."
World number three Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan was too strong for young Thai shuttler Kantaphon Wangcharoen in the men´s singles, beating him 21-19, 18-21, 21-16.
Chou will play either Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong or Denmark´s Anders Antonsen in tomorrow´s final.
In the men´s doubles, Indonesian pair Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan beat Japan´s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 17-21, 21-19, 21-17, setting up an all-Indonesian final with Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sukamuljo.
Diminutive duo Gideon and Sukamuljo -- affectionately dubbed the "Minions" after the little yellow characters featured in a popular 2015 animated film -- are the world´s top-ranked men´s doubles pair and will be tough to beat.
They looked in ominous form against Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen of China, crushing them 21-9, 21-13.
"Tomorrow´s game is important for us," Gideon said. "We want to defend our championship title from last year."
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