TOKYO, April 5: Camilla Martin of Denmark powered past Pi Hongyan on Saturday to set up a final meeting against China’s Xie Xingfang in the women’s singles at the Japan Open badminton tournament here.

The Sydney Olympic silver medallist bowed to Pi, a former Chinese national team player who representing France in the most prestigious All England first round in February, but stayed in top form to score an 11-3, 11-7 victory.

Xie, the 2000 Asian champion and the runner-up in the All England, trounced another former Chinese representative Wang Chen from Hong Kong 11-3, 11-0 in the other semi-finals.

In the men’s singles, Xia Xuanze defeated Asian Games gold medallist Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia 15-9, 17-15, while Lin Dan eliminated Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark 15-8, 16-17, 15-10 to set up an all-Chinese final.

“It was a much easier match than I had expected,” said Martin, 29, who has practiced with Pi in her club in Denmark.

“It was important to me, because I’ve never reached the final in Japan and this is my second last chance to do it, so of course I’m very happy to be in the final tomorrow.”

Martin, who plans to hang up her racket at the Danish Open after the Athens Olympics, used effective disguised overhead drops to pile up points and never gave a lead to Pi in the 27-minute battle.

When she was asked about her match against Xie, Martin said she has confidence to beat her with a 2-1 win-loss record.

“But still we have two players on court who want to win, so I’m going to make it as difficult as I can for her. I think she will do the same to me.

“I’ve been feeling very good in this tournament and I’ve already beaten two Chinese players from China and one from France, so only one more to go. I hope I can win tomorrow, but it will be tough and very difficult,” said Martin.

World number six Xie said: “Camilla is almost perfect in attacking, running and defence, and she has played more important tournaments and matches. She is far ahead of me technically.”

“I’ll just try to hang in there tomorrow,” added Xie.

Xia came back from 9-13 down in the second game against Hidayat, while Lin missed an easy shot leading one game and 16-all with an easy error that went wide and had to work an extra game in his 90-minute battle.

“The only disappointing thing was that easy error at the end of the second game. If I had taken it, I didn’t need to play another game,” said Lin, the winner over fellow Chinese world number one Chen Hong Friday.

Xia said: “When I was 9-13 down, I saw Hidayat rushing because he would take it by two more points. I changed my tactics and used long serves to put pressure on him to elicit errors. I just played patiently.”

Japan Open badminton results

Men’s singles semifinals: Lin Dan bt Kenneth Jonassen 15-8, 16-17, 15-10; Xia Xuanze bt Taufik Hidayat 15-9, 17-15

Women’s singles semifinals: Camilla Martin bt Pi Hongyan 11-3, 11-7; Xie Xingfang bt Wang Chen 11-3, 11-0

Men’s doubles semifinals: Cheng Rui/Chen Qiqiu bt Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasumussen 15-9, 5-15, 17-16; Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian bt Michael Lamp/Mathias Boe 15-7, 15-11

Women’s doubles semifinals: Gao Ling/Hwang Sui bt Yim Kyung-Jin/Lee Hyo-Jung 11-5,11-0; Wei Yili/Zhao Tingting bt Ra Kyung-Min/Lee Kyung-Won 11-8, 8-11, 11-9

Mixed doubles semifinals: Jens Eriksen/Mette Schjoldager bt Chen Qiqiu/Zhao Tingting 11-8, 11-4; Zhang Jun/Gao Ling bt Kim Dong-Moon/Ra Kyung-Min 11-7, 9-11,11-7.—AFP