Taipei, Jan. 8 (CNA) Taiwan's world women's doubles No. 1 Chien Yu-chin and Cheng Wen-hsing saw their dream of winning the first title in the Badminton World Federation Super Series Finals end in a semifinal defeat Saturday.
The duo could not break the jinx against world No. 3 Cheng Shu and Zhao Yunlei, and suffered their fourth consecutive defeat by the Chinese pair, 22-20, 21-19.
China's Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang will meet Cheng/Zhao in the title game after a 21-16, 21-16 win over the Japanese pair Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna.
The top seeds in the other categories advanced without any trouble. World men's singles No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia beat Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana in the semifinal to set up a title game showdown with Danish veteran Peter Gade, who won 21-19, 21-18 against China's Chen Long Saturday.
Lee will try to take his third straight title of the tournament, the climax of the 12-leg BWF Super Series circuit, which carries a total purse of US$500,000.
World No. 2 Wang Shixian of China, who defeated Hong Kong's Yip Pui-yin 21-15, 21-14 in the semifinal, will match up against South Korean Bae Youn-joo, who upset world No. 3 Wang Yihan of China 21-18, 16-21, 21-16 in the semifinal.
In the men's doubles final, it will be world No. 1 Carsten Mogensen and Mathias Boe of Denmark against South Korea's Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae.
China's Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei will meet Thailand's Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam in the mixed doubles final. (By Chris Wang) enditem /pc