WUXI, East China, April 14 -- China's mixed doubles pair Zhou Yu and Chen Xingtong denied a late comeback from Japanese paddlers Masataka Morizono/Mima Ito here on Friday to take the third title on offer at the Asian Table Tennis Championships.

It has been the 15th mixed doubles title won by the all-time leading Chinese at the continental tournament since inaugurated in 1972.

The local favorites won the best-of-five match 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.

In Thursday's semifinals, the other Chinese pair Fang Bo/Wang Manyu were strained to five sets and lost 3-2 to the Japanese rivals Morizono and Ito, while Zhou and Chen beat Kenta Tazoe and Miyu Maeda, also from Japan, in three straight sets to make final.

Both of the Chinese pairs were formed to partner with each other on a temporary base just for the Asian championships. They trained for about one hour together as partners ahead of the tournament.