Chinese show champions form to qualify for Uber quarter-finals
Second seeds China dashed the hope of Malaysia to reach the Uber Cup quarter-finals after they beat the Asean nation 4-1 in their Group D second round-robin at the Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani on Tuesday.
The defending champions have now won two straight ties and will move into the knock-out stage along with Indonesia, who also collected two wins by 3-2 over Malaysia and 5-0 over France.
China and Indonesia are sure of their quarter-final places no matter what happens in their final group game against each other on Wednesday.
World No 5 Chen Yufei was extended to three games by Soniia Cheah before toughing out an 18-21 22-20 21-18 win to give China their first point.
The world’s top double team, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, brushed aside Yea Ching Goh and Soong Fie Cho 21-9 21-8 before Malaysia reduced the deficit to 2-1 as 2017 SEA Games gold medallist and world No 31 Goh Jin Wei upset world No 8 He Bingjiao 9-21 21-17 21-13.
China fought back to seal off the deal when Huang Dongping and Yu Zheng won the second doubles match against Chow Mei Kuan and Vivian Hoo 21-9 21-15 and world No 31 Gao Fangjie wrapped up the encounter by defeating the 41st ranked Ying Ying Lee 21-16 21-15.
In the men’s Thomas Cup, Thailand despite a stunning win over world No 1 Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukumuljo by Kittisak Namdash and Nipitphon Phuangphupet , lost to Indonesia 1-4, losing a chance to reach the next round. The Kingdom's team however will play their last tie against Canada on Wednesday.
Defending champions Denmark also successfully booked their last-eight spot after a 5-0 win over Russia 5-0 in Group D, their second win after the 5-0 demolition over Algeria on Monday.
In Group C, Japan also moved into the quarter-finals after they beat Germany 4-1.
