INDONESIAN MASTERS 2015 SF – China’s junior girls supreme

17-year-old Chen Yufei is into the first Grand Prix final of her career as three finalists look to finish 2015 with a bang against Dubai-bound opponents.

By Don Hearn.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)

Another week, another teenager taking a women’s singles title.  Seven of the 13 Grand Prix Gold events this year have featured at least one under-20 women’s singles finalist, as have an additional four Grand Prix tournaments.  This time, there are two Chinese juniors in the running for the Yonex-Sunrise Indonesian Masters Grand Prix Gold.  He Bingjiao is up for her second Grand Prix Gold title of the year while her compatriot Chen Yufei (pictured) is now in the first Grand Prix final of her career.

He and Chen dispatched the top two seeds in the quarter-final stage but it is Chen Yufei who has now removed three seeded players from the draw – as well as dominating her first-round match against the defending champion, who eventually had to retire – and has established herself as China’s main hope for junior events in 2016.  In her semi-final, she won a see-saw match against Kim Hyo Min, denying the Korean a last Grand Prix Gold final of her own teen years, as she turns 20 in a few days.

Chen and Kim each built up substantial leads in the first two games, then had to withstand very threatening comebacks.  After splitting the first two, though, Chen just left Kim Hyo Min in her dust as she ran away with the deciding game.

Last hurrah for 2015

Berry Anggriawan and Rian Agung Saputro (pictured) reached their second straight Grand Prix Gold final.  They beat veteran team-mates Kido and Gunawan in three games and now have a chance to take their only major title of this year.

The Indonesians’ opponents will be Chai Biao / Hong Wei.  The Chinese world #5 pair beat compatriots Li Junhui / Liu Yuchen handily.  Chai and Hong are one of four pairs who, together with Kidambi Srikanth, will be in a rush to get to Dubai after Sunday’s finals.

Another China-Indonesia final will take place in the women’s doubles.  Asian Games gold medallists Nitya Krishinda Maheswari / Greysia Polii are the top seeds but they are up against China’s red hot Tang Yuanting / Yu Yang (pictured).  Tang and Yu won the quickest semi-final of the day, beating Komala Dewi / Vita Marissa in just 24 minutes, to reach their fourth final in their only four tournaments this year.

The Chinese pair is on a fast track to qualify for the Rio Olympics, and are already at #30 in the Rio standings, after only 4 events.  Despite their short partnership, they have already beaten Maheswari and Polii three times but the Indonesians will be keen to break that streak before they leave for Dubai.

Tommy Sugiarto (pictured bottom) finished the Superseries less than 200 points behind Kidambi Srikanth.  But just before the Indian flies to Dubai to compete as the last qualifier, Tommy will have the chance to score one more victory, and on home court.  Both men beat Indonesian challengers to reach the finals.

Finals line-up
XD: Tontowi Ahmad / Liliyana Natsir (INA) [1] vs. Praveen Jordan / Debby Susanto (INA) [3]
WD: Nitya Krishinda Maheswari / Greysia Polii (INA) [1] vs. Tang Yuanting / Yu Yang (CHN)
WS: He Bingjiao (CHN) vs. Chen Yufei (CHN)
MD: Chai Biao / Hong Wei (CHN) [2] vs. Berry Anggriawan / Rian Agung Saputro (INA)
MS: K. Srikanth (IND) [1] vs. Tommy Sugiarto (INA) [2]

Click here for complete semi-final results