BADMINTON/Tai Tzu-ying reaches semifinals of badminton's Japan Open

Taipei, Aug. 23 (CNA) Taiwan badminton ace Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) advanced to the 2024 Japan Open semifinals after defeating the host country's Natsuki Nidaira in straight games 21-13, 21-14 Friday.

Although Tai came out victorious, the 43-minute match was not without difficulties for her due to a left knee injury that has troubled Tai for about seven months.

After taking an 11-point lead in the first game to reach 15-4, Nidaira found her momentum to poise for a comeback and took three consecutive points.

When the Japanese shuttler was about to score her sixth point, Tai overextended her injured left knee in an attempt to return the shuttlecock to no avail.

The toil Tai put on her left knee for the attempt forced her to take a time out where onsite medics applied cold spray on her.

The Taiwan ace decided to play through the injury, returning to the court after a brief rest to win the opener 21-13.

Tai went on to lead the second game off to a good start 6-4 in her favor before ending the game 21-14 to advance into the semi-finals.

Friday's match was the second career faceoff between the two following the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships, where Tai not only emerged victorious but also went on to win the title.

Tai will next face Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan for a chance to win her final Japan Open in what is her last season before retirement.

Meanwhile, in the men's singles, Taiwan's Chou Tien-chen (周天成) advanced to the semifinals after upsetting Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand 21-16, 21-10.

Before their quarterfinal, Chou was 6-1 against Wangcharoen over seven previous encounters.

Chou will next face the host country's Kodai Naraoka, who dispatched Chou's compatriot Wang Tzu-wei (王子維) to reach the last four.

The Taiwan ace beat Naraoka earlier this month at the Paris Olympics in the men's singles round of 16.

Although Chou's Olympic journey came to a halt in the quarterfinals at the hands of India's Lakshya Sen, the Taiwanese shuttler has shown an interest in the possibility of representing Taiwan again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.