Zhiyi saves China from jaws of defeat in the semi-finals

PETALING JAYA: Girls’ singles ace Wang Zhiyi came to China’s rescue again as the defending champions edged Japan 3-2 to reach the mixed team final at the World Junior Championships.

China were staring at defeat in the semi-finals when Japan’s Hirari Mizui had two match points in hand at 20-18 against Zhiyi in Markham, Canada, on Friday.

But Zhiyi, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) silver medallist, stormed back to clinch the next four points and levelled the contest for China, who were trailing 2-1.

In the quarter-finals, Zhiyi delivered the winning point in China’s 3-1 win over Malaysia when she defeated Goh Jin Wei in a repeat of their YOG final in Buenos Aires last month which the Malaysian won.

In Friday’s semi-finals, Japan stunned China by racing to a 2-0 lead – thanks to wins

by mixed doubles pair Hiroki MidorikawaNatsu Saito and Kodai Naraoka in the boys’ singles.

But Di Zijian-Wang Chang showed their class to save China from a total collapse by outplaying Hiroki Midorikawa- Hiroki Nakayama 21-14, 21-17 in the do-or-die boys’ doubles tie, before Zhiyi’s second point ensured the clash went down the wire.

World No. 1 girls’ doubles combination Liu Xuanxuan-Xia Yuting then came on to beat Shiena Fukumoto-Natsu Saito 21-13, 21-15 to earn China their 14th final appearance.

The only time China did not reach the final was in 2013. Now, they’re just one step away from winning the mixed team event, also known as the Suhandinata Cup, for the 13th time.

As for Japan, the defeat prevented them from reaching their first final since 2012. Their sole final outing in the tournament saw the team, then led by current world No. 1 Kento Momota, go down 3-2 to China.

Two-time winners South Korea stunned second seeds Indonesia 3-1 in the other lastfour clash to earn their 10th final appearance. They have met China in the final six times and lost on all occasions.

Malaysia play India for fifth place.