Japan ends China's Thomas Cup domination

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Olympic champion Lin Dan watched helplessly as badminton powerhouse China's decade-long Thomas Cup reign came to a spectacular end after Japan pulled off a huge upset with a 3-0 victory in the semi-final of the men's team event on Friday.

Japan will face Malaysia in their maiden Thomas Cup final on Sunday after Lin's old rival Lee Chong Wei inspired the Malaysians to a comprehensive 3-0 win over Indonesia in the second semi-final. Ranked a lowly 58th, a reflection of his infrequent outings since winning the gold at London Olympics, "Super Dan" was eligible to play only the third singles but his team mates could not stretch the contest to that point as China's bid for a 10th Thomas Cup title came unstuck.