Shuttler Tai Tzu-ying moved a step closer to winning her third successive All England Open title in Birmingham, England, yesterday.
Tai, the two-time defending champion and top seed, defeated eighth seed Saina Nehwal of India 21-15, 21-19 to book her place in the women's singles semi-finals at Arena Birmingham.
The top-ranked Taiwanese will take on fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi for a place in the final today after the Japanese world No.5 defeated sixth seed He Bingjiao of China 21-16, 19-21, 21-12.
Yamaguchi beat Thai star Ratchanok Intanon to win the German Open title for the second successive year last Sunday.
In the mixed doubles event, Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai of Malaysia upset second seeds Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping of China 13-21, 22-20, 21-18. The unseeded pair will play third seeds Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino of Japan in the semis.
Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, the last remaining Thai players in the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event, were due to play their mixed doubles quarter-final match against Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti of Indonesia last night.
The fourth-seeded pair cruised past Sam Magee and Chloe Mcgee of Ireland in the last 16 round on Thursday night.
Men's singles player Kantaphon Wangcharoen and women's doubles team of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai were both knocked out on Thursday.
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