China and Indonesia will meet in the final of the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships for the fifth time after contrasting wins over Malaysia and Japan respectively.
Hosts China showed no sign of letting up the dominance they’ve had over various opponents all week, and they continued in the same vein against Malaysia in the semifinals today.
After Malaysia had gained a narrow one-point advantage in the opening women’s singles through Ong Xin Yee against Xu Wen Jing, the Chinese stepped on the pedal and steadily built up big leads that proved insurmountable.
China’s doubles player Liu Jia Yue
Even Ong Xin Yee, returning for the sixth match against Xu, could get only two points.
Women’s doubles pair Chen Fan Shu Tian and Liu Jia Yue shut the door on Malaysia with China 34 points ahead, 110-76.
“We were planning a different kind of game, but China built a big gap,” said Pang Chen Chang, lead coach of junior men’s doubles. “In some of the doubles we did OK. The girls were too desperate to play well and the emotions were unstable.
“We did well in the group against top teams, so we can look at the positives, and it’s good to learn from this.”
Indonesia Prevail Over Japan
Japan were in the contest until the final point.
Indonesia had a harder time in their semifinal against Japan. Although the Indonesians kept a lead from start to finish, the Japanese gave chase all the way, and were never more than a few points behind.
At the start of the final bout, Japan were just six points short. Indonesia’s Pulung Ramadhan, partnering Anselmus Prasetya, was a picture of calm and he steered them through tricky waters to wrap up the tie 110-105.
“I feel so happy with this result and also proud, because we can win this match, and go to the final,” said Ramadhan. “I was a bit nervous in the beginning of the game, but I was able to control my nerves.”
Women’s singles player Mutiara Ayu Puspitasari, who won the penultimate match over Niina Matsuta, said: “The Japanese players have more or less the same pattern, so I didn’t think too much about what my playing pattern should be like.
“I’m ready to face China. Besides that, the team definitely wants to be champions. So we will go all out on the field and be enthusiastic to compete for the Suhandinata Cup.”
While hosts and defending champions China will be going for their 15th title, Indonesia will be looking for their second. In their four previous final encounters, China have a 3-1 record.
Among other matches for overall positions, France beat UAE in a thriller, 110-108; India edged USA in the last match 110-101, and Chinese Taipei got the better of Denmark, 110-93.
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