GUANGZHOU, China Top-seeded Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and defending champion Lin Dan scored impressive quarterfinal wins Friday to stay on course for a much-anticipated men’s final clash at the Badminton world championships.
Lee, who has lost to Lin in two Olympic finals as well as the last world championships in 2011, scored an easy 21-6, 21-9 victory over eighth-seeded Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto to set up a semifinal clash with third-seeded Du Pengyu of China.
Lin, unseeded after injuries and family commitments restricted his participation in international events over the past year, knocked out second-seeded Chinese compatriot Chen Long 21-13, 22-20.
Lin will next meet seventh-seeded Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam, who became the first-ever player from his country to ensure a medal at the world championships by reaching the last four.
In the women’s championship, 10th-seeded P.V. Sindhu became the first Indian woman singles player to ensure a world championship medal even as her more famous compatriot Saina Nehwal failed to get past the quarterfinals for a third straight time.
Sindhu defeated seventh-seeded Wang Shixian of China 21-18, 21-17 and will next take on fourth-seeded Thai player Ratchanok Intanon.
In the other semifinal, top-seeded Li Xuerei will face 13th-seeded Bae Yeon Ju of South Korea, who beat Nehwal 23-21, 21-9.
