Kunshan: China’s women’s team was on a mission to retain the Uber Cup at home after their men’s team suffered worst loss in China’s Thomas Cup history when they were beaten by Korea in the men’s quarter-finals.
In Saturday’s Uber Cup final, reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui bounced back from dropping a set against South Korean Sung Ji Hyun, taking 58 minutes to subdue the resilient Sung 14-21, 21-13, 21-10.
China stumbled in the first women’s doubles match that followed, when Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan halted the Chinese advance temporarily with aggressive play to beat Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei 16-21, 21-17, 25-23 in a pulsating battle.
It was a well-deserved win for the Korean pair over World No. 4 Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei.
However, China restored the advantage quickly when World No. 6 Wang Shixian started off looking confident to beat Kim Hyo-Min who was moved up to Korea’s second women’s singles position to replace Bae Yeon-Ju after Bae sustained an ankle injury on court Friday night.
Wang exhausted Kim Hyo-min by moving the shuttlecock across the court at will during the 21-13, 21-12 rout.
China’s second doubles pairing of Chen Qingchen/Tang Yuanting then dominated Chang Ye Na/Lee So Hee 21-14, 21-16 in 51 minutes for the winning point as their team-mates rushed over to celebrate their 14th Uber Cup title.
In Sunday’s Thomas Cup final, Denmark men’s team will be hoping to land the prestigious men’s team title for the first time when they take on 13-times champions Indonesia.
