Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday beat the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s badminton player to advance to the semi-finals of the China Open in Changzhou.
Chou, who is ranked No. 6 in the world in men’s badminton, downed 24-year-old world No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-17, 21-11 on Court 2 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium.
The 35-year-old Chou was behind only once in the match — after Vitidsarn claimed the first point in the first game. The Taiwanese leveled the game at 1-1 and built leads of 11-5 and 18-13 before easing to a 1-0 advantage.
Photo: AFP
He claimed a string of six consecutive points, combining the final two points of game 1 and the first four of game 2, to take control of the second game and the match at 4-0 before storming home in 37 minutes.
Taiwan’s top shuttler faces world No. 2 Shi Yuqi in the semi-finals today after the Chinese downed compatriot Li Shifeng 15-21, 21-15, 21-11.
In the women’s singles, Taiwan’s Chiu Pin-chian was eliminated in the quarter-finals, beaten 21-16, 21-11 by China’s Wang Zhiyi in 42 minutes on court 1.
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