TOKYO — Canada’s Michelle Li has upset the world’s top-ranked women’s badminton player.
Li, from Markham, Ont., beat Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan 2-1 (21-15, 15-21, 22-20) on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open.
The tournament serves as a test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Li, ranked 14th in the world, will face No. 3 seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the semis.
A two-time Olympian, the 27-year-old Li teamed with Alex Bruce to finish fourth at the 2012 Games in women’s doubles.
Li has won gold in women’s singles at the Pan American Games the past two times. She’ll be back to represent Canada in Lima, Peru at the Pan Ams after the Japan Open.
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