BAOJI, China, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zhejiang overcame title favorite Fujian 3-2 in the men's team quarter-finals at the 2020 Chinese Badminton Championships here on Saturday.
It took Zhejiang five hours and 23 minutes to edge Fujian for a spot in the semifinals.
Zhejiang's Ren Pengbo caused a trouble for Olympic Champion Chen Long as he took the first set at 21-14. The 31-year-old Chen managed to hit top form in the next two sets, winning 21-13, 21-10 to give Fujian a 1-0 lead.
"When I trailed 4-1 in the second set, I told myself not to make mistakes anymore, trying to be consistent," Chen told Xinhua.
World champion Zheng Siwei partnered with Wang Yilv to defeat Ou Xuanyi/Han Chengkai 20-22, 21-14 22-20 in the doubles, leveling up the scores.
"We must pocket the point to keep our hopes of turning the match around alive," Zheng said.
Then Weng Hongyang beat Zhejiang's Lin Guipu 21-8, 15-21, 21-19 to put Fujian ahead again. But Fujian's Liu Cheng/Huang Kaixiang went down to Zhejiang's Zhou Haodong/Wang Chang 22-24, 16-21 in the second doubles clash.
In the deciding tie, Zhejiang's Huang Yuxiang saw off Wu Kaian of Fujian 23-21, 21-13.
In other quarter-finals of the men's team event on Saturday, Liaoning beat Guangdong 3-2, Jiangsu thrashed Sichuan 3-0, Hunan edged Zhejiang II 3-1.
And after the last eight rounds in the women's team event on October 31, Hubei, Shanghai, Fujian and Zhejiang reached the semi-finals.
The tournament ends on November 10. Enditem