4
May
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Malaysia succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against hosts China in the semi-finals of this year's edition at the Chengdu High-Tech Zone Sports Centre.
China capitalized on the overwhelming support of their home crowd, while Malaysia struggled under the pressure and dominance of the badminton giants. China will now face Indonesia in the title showdown after the 14-time champions defeated Taiwan in the other semi-final.
World No. 2 men’s singles player, Shi Yu Qi, set the pace for China's victory by defeating Lee Zii Jia 21-19 21-5 in just 35 minutes, giving China a 1-0 lead.
In the second match, men’s doubles specialists Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik overcame a shaky start to win the decider 15-21 21-12 21-17 after a tense 55-minute battle.
Malaysia's second singles player, Leong Jun Hao, struggled against Li Shi Feng, ultimately losing 21-17 21-10, which paved the way for China's victory.
Despite a valiant effort by Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani in the second doubles, China emerged victorious, winning 21-19 21-12 in 63 minutes through He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu.
Earlier in the tournament, Malaysia defeated Hong Kong and Algeria but lost to Denmark before securing a spot in the semi-finals with a win over Japan.