BADMINTON/Taiwan shuttlers to face off at Taipei Open men's singles finals

Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) Taiwanese shuttlers Chi Yu-jen (戚又仁) and Lin Chun-yi (林俊易) will face off against each other on Sunday at the Taipei Open men's singles finals.

Chi won his ticket after toppling Taiwan's badminton ace Chou Tien-chen (周天成) Saturday evening 19-21, 21-11, 21-17, while leftie shuttler Lin reached the finals after defeating fellow Taiwanese player Lee Chia-hao (李佳豪) 21-12, 21-19 on the same day.

Initially, Chou seemed to have the match in the bag after winning the first game.

Even after losing the second game, Chou was still poised to win his fifth Taipei Open title when he led the third game 12-9.

However, a 8-2 momentum from Chi then gave Chou a run for his money before he gave the 73-minute match to the younger shuttler.

Speaking to the press after the match, the 34-year-old Chou praised his 27-year-old counterpart's resolve.

"My opponent saw through many of my moves today," Chou said. "I need to change up my moves."

Chi, meanwhile, told CNA that beating Chou gave him a confidence boost.

"The whole match I was trying to pick up my pace and get more aggressive in front of the net," Chi said. "That way, I could limit my senior's (Chou) advancements during the match."

Aside from Chi and Lin vying for the title on Sunday, Taiwan's mixed-doubles team of Yang Po-hsuan (楊博軒) and Hu Ling-fang (胡綾芳) will also attempt to win a Taipei Open title against Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Phataimas Muenwong of Thailand.

Yang and Hu reached the finals after defeating another Taiwanese duo, Lai Po-yu (賴柏佑) and Lin Xiao-min (林筱閔), on Saturday 21-7, 21-17.

Meanwhile, after Taiwanese shuttler Chiu Pin-Chian (邱品蒨) lost to Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia 21-16, 16-21, 11-21, Taiwan will not be winning a women's singles title this year.