China's Zhang Ning smashes the shuttle during women's team final of badminton against Japan at Doha Asiad, Qatar, Dec. 5, 2006. China beat Japan 3-0. Dec. 6 - China produced a near flawless display to successfully defend their Asian Games women's team badminton title on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Japan.
The Japanese, appearing in their first final in 20 years, took the silver while Singapore and South Korea claimed bronze.
World singles champion Xie Xingfang sealed victory for China, who earlier this year won the Thomas Cup title, with a 21-12, 21-15 win over Eriko Hirose as Japan failed to take even a set off their opponents.
Xie, whose fiancee and fellow world champion Lin Dan was playing in the men's team final on an adjoining court and lost his singles match, was overjoyed at winning.
"I felt pretty confident against her (Hirose)," said the 25-year-old Xie.
Hirose admitted that she needed to improve if she was to challenge the Chinese.
"I know now that if I want to beat a Chinese player then I will need to improve my physical fitness," said the 21-year-old.
"However I am very happy that we won silver. Now we must take this forward and train harder for the 2008 Olympics."
Japanese coach Joo Bong Park was overjoyed at the team's performance.
"Our target was a bronze so I am very happy that we won the silver," he said.
Victory for China means their women have only ever missed out once on the Asian Games title, the 1994 edition in Hiroshima, Japan.
Olympic singles champion Zhang Ning got them off to the required start as the 31-year-old veteran beat Kaori Mori 21-13, 21-15.
Zhang said she had been concerned in the second set at her opponent's seemingly endless reserves of energy.
"My opponent can really run," gasped Zhang.
"I felt myself getting a little tired and so I knew I had to speed up the match for my own sake."
However, Zhang, beaten by Xie in this year's world singles final to add to her silver in 2005 and bronze in 2001, didn't sound an optimistic note about her chances in the singles competition.
"Even though I should probably have recovered by then, it might not be enough," admitted Zhang, who has won five World Grand Prix' this year.
She plays Indonesia's Fransiska Ratnasari on Wednesday.
