Li Xuerui of China returns a shot against Gu Juan of Singapore during the women's singles event of the 2013 China Masters in Changzhou on September 13, 2013. (AFP)
BEIJING (AFP) – Chinese badminton superstar Li Xuerui booked a place in the semi-finals of the China Masters on Friday after beating Gu Juan of Singapore 21-10, 22-20.
World number one Li will meet Thailand's Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, who outplayed Han Li from China to enter her first Superseries semi-final after almost a year.
The other women's singles semi-finalists are Japanese Sayaka Takahashi, who edged past Yao Xue from China 21-16 22-20, and China's Liu Xin, who was handed a walkover by compatriot Suo Di.
In the men's singles quarter-finals, sixth-seeded Dane Jan O Jorgensen sealed his place in the semis after being pushed to three games by World Junior Champion Kento Momota, eventually winning 21-17, 17-21, 21-6.
He will now take on China's Wang Zhengming while the other semi-final will be played between Korean qualifier Son Wan-Ho and Japan's Sho Sasaki.
In the women's doubles, the hosts grabbed three semi-final spots. China's young pair Ou Dongni and Tang Yuanting overpowered number three seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan 21-17, 22-20 to continue their dream run.
China's Ma Jin and Tang Jinhua, and compatriots Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang are also in the final four.
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