China edges through Indonesia to for Sudirman semifinals

China's Fu Haifeng (L) with partner Cai Yun plays a shot during their men's doubles match against Indonesia's Saputro Rian Agung and Pratama Angga at the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur, May 23, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

KUALA LUMPUR - Indonesia almost scared China in their second meeting in three days but the defending champions still made the semifinals of the Sudirman Cup here on Thursday.

China will play against Denmark in Saturday's semifinals, who beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 in another quarterfinals. The other semifinal will be played between South Korea and Thailand.

Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir took a good start for Indonesia as they stunned Olympic runners-up Xu Chen/Ma Jin in mixed doubles at 21-18, 14-21 and 21-16.

China's Chen Long plays a shot during his singles match against Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto at the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur, May 23, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

But Chen Long quickly leveled the score for China as he thrashed Tommy Sugiarto 21-11, 21-15 in men's singles. Suairto is the only Indonesian player who stayed in the lineup as in Tuesday's group match against China.

"I didn't think too much about the pressure from the mixed doubles," said Chen. "I played a tough match today and it's good that I won."

Indonesia then took lead again as Rian Agung Saputro/Angga Pratama surprisingly defeated China's Olympic champions Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng in men's doubles 19-21, 21-18 and 21-15. Umpires' controversial calls led the Indonesia pair to win the second game. Cai and Fu found themselves short of stamina and could only let their younger opponents taking the victory.

China leveled the score again as Li Xuerui found no trouble in beating Lindaweni Fanetri 21-16, 21-13 in women's singles and forcing the match to be decided by women's doubles.

However, it took Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli only 37 minutes to defeat Liliyana Natsir/Nitya Krishinda Maheswari and secured China a berth in semifinals, which they had never missed since the very first edition in 1989.

It is the first time for Indonesia to fail to reach the top four at Sudriman Cup while Thailand will make its debut in semifinals of the tournament, who defeated Japan 3-1. Thailand will play against South Korea, who is the only other country besides China to reach the semifinal stage at every edition of the Sudirman Cup.

South Korea whitewashed Germany 3-0 earlier on Thursday.

China's Yu Yang (R) with partner Wang Xiaoli plays a shot during their women's doubles match against Indonesia's Lilyana Natsir and Maheswari Nitya Krishinda at the quarterfinals of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur May 23, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]