KUALA LUMPUR, May 23: Defending champions China had to dig deep to avoid a surprise defeat to Indonesia, winning 3-2 on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Sudirman Cup.

Two days after whipping their arch rivals 5-0 in a group match, China, who have not lost a tie since falling 2-3 to South Korea in the 2003 final, were stunned by a determined and gallant Indonesian outfit.

But Chinese supremo Li Yongbo was unperturbed. China are eyeing their fifth consecutive win in the biennial event.

“We have won it for so many times —eight times,” the coach said.

“I don’t mind if we lose it as long as my players show their determination and fighting spirit... Sometimes it’s good for other teams to win it.” Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir gave the 1989 champions a dream start when they defeated the world number one mixed doubles pairing of Ma Jin and Xu Chen 21-18, 14-21, 21-16.

The Chinese women then turned on the power as Olympic champion Li Xuerui outclassed Lindaweni Fanetri 21-16, 21-13, and world champions Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli beat Liliyana Natsir and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari 21-12, 21-19.

Results:

South Korea bt Germany 3-0 Men’s singles: Lee Dong-Keun (KOR) bt Dieter Domke (GER) 21-19, 20-22, 21-19 Men’s doubles: Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae (KOR) bt Ingo Kindervater and Johannes Schoettler (GER) 21-13, 21-10Mixed doubles: Ko Sung-Hyun and Kim Ha-Na (KOR) bt Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels (GER) 22-24, 21-11, 21-13China bt Indonesia 3-2 Men’s singles: Chen Long (CHN) bt Tommy Sugiarto (INA) 21-11, 21-15 Women’s singles: Li Xuerui (CHN) bt Lindaweni Fanetri (INA) 21-16, 21-13 Men’s doubles: Rian Agung Saputro and Angga Pratama (INA) bt Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng (CHN) 19-21, 21-18, 21-15 Women’s doubles: Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli (CHN) bt Liliyana Natsir and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari (INA) 21-12, 21-19 Mixed doubles: Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir (INA) bt Ma Jin and Xu Chen (CHN) 21-18, 14-21, 21-16.—AFP