Japan are through to the semi-finals of the Uber Cup in Horsens, Denmark for the ninth consecutive time. The east Asian side staved off a strong challenge from Thailand to emerge 3-1 victors and set-up a last four clash against top seeds China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China had strolled past Malaysia 3-0 in their semi-final tie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was not an easy match-up for Japan against Thailand, as they had to work hard for each point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The opening singles match brought Japan\u2019s Akane Yamaguchi up against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the duo have played each other 25 times prior to today\u2019s clash, it was only their first in almost three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yamaguchi, the world number three, extended her winning record against Ratchanok to 15-11 with 47-minute 22-20, 21-15 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her win over the seventh ranked Ratchanok gave the Japanese the start they needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first doubles was the easiest point earned by the Japanese. Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto had overcame first game resistance to getting past the scratch pair of Benyapa Aimsaard-Supissara Paewsampran 22-20, 21-8 in 47-minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pornpawee Chochuwong put the Thais back in contention when she defeated Tomoka Miyzaki 15-21, 21-16, 21-19 after a grueling 84-minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world number eighth had defeated the ninth ranked Tomoko in both the previous meetings but barely managed to win this time around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second double match between Arisa Igarashi-Kie Nakanishi and Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat saw the Japanese world number seven dropping the first game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it was not be a Thai comeback. Igarashi-Nakanishi regrouped and played with more purpose to take the match 19-21, 21-8, 21-14 and lead Japan to the semi-finals once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Japan has won the Uber Cup six- times and will be looking to upstage China in the semi-finals for their first since defeating Thailand for the coveted Cup in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n UBER CUP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Japan beat Thailand 3-1 <\/strong>(Akane Yamaguchi bt Ratchanok Intanon 22-20, 21-15; Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto bt Benyapa Aimsaard-Supissara Paewsampran 22-20, 21-8; Tomoka Miyzaki lost Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-15, 16-21, 19-21; Arisa Igarashi-Kie Nakanishi bt Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn-Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat 19-21, 21-8, 21-14<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Japan are through to the semi-finals of the Uber Cup in Horsens, Denmark for the ninth consecutive time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[75],"class_list":["post-12464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-badminton"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t