Chen continues giant-killing run at WTT US Smash

Chinese Chen Yi continued her giant-killing spree, defeating more favored teammate Kuai Man to reach the women's singles final in the WTT US Smash in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The unseeded 20-year-old from the southeastern province of Zhejiang, who had eliminated China's world No. 1 and world champion Sun Yingsha and Japan's ninth seed Hina Hayata, outlasted fifth-seeded Kuai 4-3 (6-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 11-9) to set up a title clash against former Chinese national team star Zhu Yuling.

"Kuai Man and I know each other very well," said Chen. "We both know whoever is more determined and decisive would win this game."

Zhu, a former World Cup winner who now plays for Macao, China, swept seventh-seeded Japanese Mima Ito 4-2 (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8) in the other semifinal.

The 30-year-old Zhu previously stepped away from China's national team to recover from cancer, pursue her studies, and later become a professor at Tianjin University. She joined the Macao team last year.

Earlier in the day, South Korea's An Jae-hyun/Lim Jong-hoon beat France's Alexis Lebrun/Felix Lebrun 3-1 to win the men's doubles title.