China clinch mixed doubles TT title

The Chinese team moved closer to their goal of winning all seven World championship gold medals when they clinched the mixed doubles title on Friday.

Qin Zhijian and Yang Yin made a solid start against South Korea's Oh Sang-eun and Kim Moo-kyo and gradually increased the pressure on the way to a 21-15, 21-15, 21-15 victory.

Their triumph came a day after two pairs from China, already winners of the men's and women's team titles, reached Saturday's men's doubles final.

While the South Koreans were the favourites in terms of combined experience and rankings, they were unable to match their opponents in both skills and strategy.

"In my opinion, the Korean team didn't play 100 per cent," world number six Yang said.

Kim agreed, blaming jitters.

"Physically, I had no problems but psychologically, I was nervous," she said. "That's why I lost."

China also dominated the women's singles quarter-finals, with top-ranked Wang Nan demolishing compatriot Li Nan, and Zhang Yining edging out her young compatriot Niu Jianfeng in a close match.

The two will meet in the semi-finals on Saturday.

China's Lin Ling, ranked 14th, coasted to victory over Austrian Liu Jia, the world number 22, to reach the last four.

"She was better than me, that's it," Liu said. "The Chinese are so much better prepared and organised than we are in Europe."

Lin will meet North Korea's Kim Yun Mi, who overwhelmed Romanian Mihaela Steff 22-20 21-11 21-15.

WALDNER OUT

In the men's singles, former world and Olympic champion Jan-Ove Waldner of Sweden was knocked out by Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus.

Despite flashes of brilliance, four-time world champion Waldner was a shadow of his normal self, appearing to lack confidence and his customary control in a 21-8 21-14 21-18 defeat.

World number eight Samsonov, in contrast, was a model of consistency, making a number of lethal returns with pin-point precision.

"I did so many mistakes with my forehand today, and he also played very well, especially with his forehand," Waldner said.

Asked whether the drubbing could mark the end of his international career, the veteran said: "Honestly I am a little fed up with that question. I don't know, nobody knows."

Samsonov, the only European left in the competition, will face second-ranked Kong Linghui in the quarter-finals on Saturday. The Chinese player crushed France's Patrick Chila 21-14 21-9 21-12.

"I will fight for every ball," Samsonov said. "It's all I can do."

Top-ranked Wang Liqin of China will play powerful South Korean top-spinner Kim Taek Soo, ranked nine. Wang needed four games to dispatch former world champion Jorgen Persson of Sweden, while Kim completed a comfortable 3-0 win over Croatian Zoran Primorac.

Three other Chinese players reached the last eight.

Liu Guoliang, a dual gold medallist at the Atlanta Olympics, will meet Taiwan's Chiang Peng-Lung, while Ma Lin will take on compatriot Liu Guozheng for a place in the semifinal.

All four players are ranked in the world's top five.