Kashyap was facing Momonta after two years and the Japanese had beaten the Indian in their earlier encounter. In the first game, Kashyap held an upper hand and took an 11-8 lead. From there, the Indian reeled off six consecutive points and finished the game 21-12 in 16 minutes. In the second game, it was Momonta, who took an early 5-1 lead but Kashyap bounced back to make it 9-5 by winning 8 consecutive points. However, Kashyap failed to keep the momentum going and with the Japanese applying pressure, Kashyap’s game became erratic. The Japanese took the second game at 21-17. In the decider, badminton became thrilling as both players produced scintillating display to make the game equally poised. However Kashyap broke away to 15-10 lead. Just when Kashyap should have played with control, he simply frittered the match away as Momonta didn’t allow Kashyap much leeway and sealed the match with an audacious drop shot to win at 12-21, 21-17, 21-19.
Momonta will take on Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen, who came through as his opponent, Germany’s Marc Zwiebler, retired midway through second game. Zwiebler had been sick overnight but he did play valiantly in the first game, which Jorgensen took at 21-17. However when the Dane led 11-5 in the second, Zwiebler couldn’t continue and retired.
Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon played superbly against China’s Wang Shixian with an authoritative 21-19, 21-13 victory in the semifinal. Intanon will play the final against Japan’s Yui Hashimoto, who defeated another Chinese Wang Yihan 21-17, 9-21, 21-17. In women’s doubles, Indonesia’s Nitya Krishinda Maheswari/Greysia Polii brought the house down and defeated China’s Yu Yang/Zhong Qianxin 21-18, 10-21, 21-16. In Sunday’s final, Maheshwari/Polii will take on another Chinese pair Tang Jinhuai/Tian Qing, who beat compatriots Ma Jin/Tang Yuanting 16-21, 21-14, 21-17 in the other semifinal.
The mixed doubles final on Sunday will be an all-Chinese affair as Zhao Yunlei/Zhang Nan will take on Xu Chen/Ma Jin. While Zhao Yunlei/Zhang Nan defeated Indonesians Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir 16-21, 21-15, 21-18; Xu Chen/Ma Jin easily beat Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen 21-15, 21-19. In the men’s doubles, the Korean duo of Ko Sung Hyun/Shin Baek Choel shocked their more celebrated compatriots Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong 21-17, 21-18 to enter the final, where they will take on China’s Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan. On their part, Haifeng/Nan beat Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 22-20, 18-21, 21-15.