Yamaguchi Akane beats PV Sindhu for finals place, Jonatan Christie to face Lee Zi Jia for men's title - Badminton Asia Championships 2022

The semi-finals at the 2022 Asian Badminton Championships in Manila on Saturday (30 April) saw a battle of world champions in the women's singles event.

Former champ PV Sindhu of India was beaten by the current champion and world No. 2 Yamaguchi Akane, 12-21, 21-19, 21-16. The Japanese shuttler will face Wang Zhi Yi of China in the final, after she beat An Se Young of Korea in the other semi.

Jonatan Christie will face Malaysian shuttle star Lee Zii Jia in the final after Lee ended Weng Hong Yang's impressive run in their semi-final.

Christie came out on top of an all-Indonesian semi, defeating 23-year-old Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-9, 18-21, 21-16 in a three-set thriller that lasted almost an hour.

While Lee ousted Weng on a 21-11, 21-19 scoreline in 39 minutes, continuing his clinical run of form.

The European Championships are also taking place this weekend, with Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen winning the men's title. Here's how it happened.

Badminton Asia Championships 2022 Doubles semi-final results round-up

Mixed doubles opened the day here in Manila as Chinese pairing Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong made it through to the final after Indonesian duo Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti retired having lost game one 21-8.

And it'll be a guaranteed Chinese title winner in the mixed final after Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Huang Dong Ping and Wang Yi Lyu overcame Japan's Watanabe Yuta and Higashino Arisa (21-12, 24-22) to secure their shot at the title.

Over in the women's doubles on Court 3 Chen Qing Chen / Jia Yi Fan defeated their Chinese compatriots Du Yue / Li Wen Mei 21-12, 21-17, and they face Japanese pairing Iwanaga Rin and Nakanishi Kie.

Iwanaga / Nakanashi came back from losing the opening game to defeat their Japanese teammates Fukushima Yuki and Hirota Sayaka 16-21, 21-15, 21-19 in a gripping semi-final.

And the men's doubles final will feature Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik after they defeated fellow Malaysians Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin by 21-13, 21-15, in just 29 minutes.

They'll take on Pramudya Kusumawardana / Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan who edged an exciting semi-final against their Indonesian teammates Fajar Alfian / Muhammad Rian Ardianto.

That one went to three sets with Kusumawardana / Rambitan winning 22-20, 13-21, 21-18.

Asian Championships 2022 - final schedule

Who made the Asia Championships Badminton finals?

All finals to be played on Sunday 1 May 2022:

Singles

Women's final: Yamaguchi Akane (JPN) vs. Wang Zhi Yi (CHN)

Men's final: Jonatan Christie (INA) vs. Lee Zi Jia (MAS)

Doubles

Mixed doubles final: Zheng Si Wei / Huang Ya Qiong vs. Huang Dong Ping / Wang Yi Lyu

Women's doubles final: Chen Qing Chen / Jia Yi Fan vs. Iwanaga Rin / Nakanishi Kie

Men's doubles final: Aaron Chia / Soh Wooi Yik vs. Pramudya Kusumawardana / Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan

MORE: Here is everything you need to know about the Asian Championships.