JAKARTA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese women's badminton team set up a highly-anticipated final with Japan, and their men's counterparts will take on hosts Indonesia following Tuesday's semi-final victory here at the 18th Asian Games.
In women's semi-finals, China revenged their loss to Thailand in the same stage of the 2018 Uber Cup by triumphing in straight sets.
China's top singles player Chen Yufei stormed to a 9-1 lead, and cruised to a 21-14 victory in the opening game of a rematch against Ratchanok Intanon.
Intanon regrouped herself in the following game to force her way back 21-17. Chen withstood early-game tussle to build an 11-7 lead at changeover in the decider. Despite losing five straight points after leading by 17-12, Chen stood firm under pressure to seal a 21-17 win through a slew of errors from her opponent.
Former world No. 1 Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan overcame stiff resistance to beat Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai and extend China's overall lead.
Chen and Jia savored the win of 22-20 in a topsy-turvy first game, before being forced into the decider by their Thai opponents 21-16.
The Chinese duo took charge from the outset of the third game, and bagged the victory of 21-14 from their five-point mid-game lead.
He Bingjiao, who had not featured in Uber Cup semifinals' squad, fought past Nitchaon Jindapol 21-17, 21-12 to earn China a final berth in their quest of sixth consecutive title.
Top-seeded Japan held firm under heated atmosphere in Gelora Bung Karno ISTORA to eliminate Indonesia 3-1.
After their top option Yamaguchi Akane fell to Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in full sets, Japan rushed through the contention thanks to victories by Fukushima Yuki/Hirota Sayaka, Okuhara Nozomi and Matsutomo Misaki/Takahashi Ayaka.
For men's side, China went down 1-0 against Chinese Taipei as Shi Yuqi lost to Chou Tienchen 21-13, 21-19.
China's journey to the final went from bad to worse as Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen lost the first game 21-19 against Chen Hungling and Wang Chilin, but the world champions turned the match in their favor to win 21-12, 21-9.
Olympic champion Chen Long also withstood a 21-18 first-game loss to sweep aside Wang Tzuwei 21-13, 21-17.
The 2017 World Championships doubles title holders Liu Cheng and Zhang Nan prevailed over Lee Jhehuei and Lee Yang 21-13, 21-17 in their debut at the tournament to lift China past Chinese Taipei 3-1.
It was different scenario in men's semifinals between the same sides, as Indonesia shocked Japan 3-1 to stand across from the net against China.
Although world champion Momota Kento fought back from an 8-15 deficit in the decider to beat Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, other Japanese shuttlers could not deal with pressure from Indonesian crowds afterwards.
World No. 1 pairing Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo spearheaded the hosts' comeback, and that was fueled by their teammates Jonatan Christie and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto to make the final.
China hope to reclaim its glory in men's team event after losing to South Korea in the final four years ago.
