China secures final spots in three categories in Malaysia Open

Shi Yuqi competes during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese shuttlers notched semifinal victories in the men's singles, men's and women's doubles at the Malaysia Open on Saturday.

Shi Yuqi delivered a morale-boosting 21-12, 19-21, 21-17 victory over top seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, and will face fellow Dane Anders Antonsen for the men's singles title.

Men's doubles pair Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang beat Japan's Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 21-12, 19-21, 21-13. The top seeds will face India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in Sunday's final.

The women's doubles final will be an all-Chinese affair, as Zhang Shuxian and Zheng Yu outplayed Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee of South Korea 21-17, 21-17 while Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning knocked out Japan's Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi 21-11, 21-16.

Elsewhere, in the women's singles semifinals, China's Chen Yufei lost to Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei 17-21, 21-15, 21-18, while Zhang Yiman was knocked out by top-ranked South Korean An Se-young 17-21, 11-21. China's mixed doubles pair of Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin were outmatched by Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 15-21, 21-12, 15-21.

Viktor Axelsen (L) gestures during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Viktor Axelsen (R) competes during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Viktor Axelsen competes during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Viktor Axelsen competes during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Viktor Axelsen competes during the men's singles semifinal match between Shi Yuqi of China and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at Malaysia Open badminton tournament 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)