CHINA’S Shi Yuqi ended compatriot Lin Dan’s All England Open title defense at the semifinal stage as he clinched a straight games victory in Birmingham, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.

    Shi got the better of his teammate, a double Olympic singles champion nicknamed “Super Dan” by his fans, with a battling 24-22, 21-11 triumph at the Barclaycard Arena to set up a meeting with world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the Badminton World Federation Superseries event.

    Lee, the perennial Olympic silver medalist, progressed to his seventh All England Open final as he fought back from a game down to beat Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei 10-21, 21-14, 21-9.

    The 34-year-old, who has never won a world or Olympic title, admitted he still was not fully fit but remains confident he can lift the title the next day.

    “I’m still not a hundred percent recovered,” said Lee.

    “I just focus myself and do what I can.

    “I just came here to enjoy it.”

    The women’s singles final will be between Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, who knocked out Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain, and top seed Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei.

    Fifth seed Intanon took 49 minutes to oust Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 22-20, 21-16.

    Tai had a much tougher time out on court as she dropped the opening game of her match against South Korea’s Sung Ji-hyun, the third seed.

    The top seed eventually found her form and claimed a 11-21, 21-14, 21-14 triumph.

    Chris and Gabby Adcock of England were not able to harness the energy of the home crowd as they suffered an agonizing semifinal defeat to fifth-seeded Chinese pair Lu Kai and Huang Yaqiong. The English duo took a step towards the gold medal match when they claimed the first game but the Chinese pair hit back and eventually wrapped up a 19-21, 21-12, 22-20 success. (SD-Agencies)