China's defending champions advance to Indonesia Open final

China badminton players Yu Yang (L) and Wang Xiaoli (R) return the shuttlecock against Ma Jin and Tang Jinhua from China at Senayan sport center during the Indonesian Open Super Series semi-finals at Senayan sport center in Jakarta on June 15, 2013. Yang and Xiaoli won 21-18 21-16. (Getty Images)

Jakarta, June 15 (IANS): Defending women’s doubles champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang advanced to the final of the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier after beating their seeded compatriots Ma Jin and Tang Jinhua 21-18, 21-16 in the semifinals here Saturday.

The No.1 Wang and Yu will take on another Chinese pair – Bao Yixin and Shu Cheng, seeded eighth, in the final scheduled Sunday after the latter defeated No.5 Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei in the other semifinal, reports Xinhua.

“We had never met them in previous international tournaments. But we did exercises together several times. We had prepared strategies to defeat them. One thing for sure, we would play the best we can in the final match tomorrow,” Bao Yixin said.

China have three more berths in the semifinals with two of them in the mixed doubles whereas No.1 Xu Chen and Ma Jin and No.3 Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei have to square off against each other for a final berth.

Another semis berth was secured by women’s singles No.1 Li Xuerui, finalist of the tournament last year. She will vie against Yip Pui Yin in a semifinal match scheduled later in the day.