It was a case of second time unlucky for the men's team, led by national champion Chetan Baboor, as they had lost to Japan at the quarter-final stage of the previous edition of the tournament.

This time, the Japanese gave away just one game in the three-match affair as Baboor and Arup Basak went down in straight games. Baboor lost to Japanese No 1 Koji Matsushita 15-21, 14-21 and Basak bowed out to Toshio Tasaki 17-21, 9-21.

In between, left-hander S Raman put up a brave fight to raise visions of a decider as he took the first game off Hiroshi Shibutani at 21-14. However, the Japanese clawed back to clinch the next two games and the match at 21-15, 21-16.

Earlier, Indian men powered into the quarterfinals defeating Pakistan 3-0. But the women's side failed to make the grade despite a 3-1 win over Australia.With their second successive win in the men's section -- after beating Brunei 3-0 yesterday -- India made it to the last eight stage from Group G.

National champion Chetan Baboor showed the way with a 21-12, 21-17 win over Kashif Razaq before S.Raman got the better of Asim Qureshi in a well-contested match 21-18, 21-15. Arup Basak completed the formalities with an easy 21-10, 21-5 victory over Shakil Ahmed.

Indian women, after a mauling from Thailand yesterday, did better today to get past Australia 3-1 but could not stop the Thais from making it to the quarterfinals from Group G.

Former national champion MS Mythili, who spearheaded the attack, first outwitted Tammy Gough 21-17, 22-20 and then took revenge over Shirley Zhou, who had earlier beaten NR Indu 21-16, 21-17, with a hard-fought 15-21, 21-19 21-15 triumph. Poulomi Ghatak got a walkover from Miao Miao.

CHINA, N KOREA IN FINAL: Later, world champions China breezed past South Korea to enter the final in the women's team championships.They will now clash for the title with world silver medallists North Korea who managed to squeeze past Hong Kong 3-2 in the other semi-finals.

There were no upsets in the men's quarter-finals with world champions China, defending champions South Korea, and Taiwan all joining Japan in the semi-finals with identical 3-0 wins over Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia.

RESULTS (TEAM)

SEMI-FINALS: WOMEN: China bt South Korea 3-0 (Li Ju bt Kim Moo-Kyo 21-8, 21-19; Wang Nan bt Ryu Ji-Hye 21-12, 21-10; Zhang Yining bt Le Eun-Sil 21-18, 21-15). North Korea bt Hong Kong 3-2 (Wi Bok-Sun lost to Wong Ching 14-21, 17-21; Kim Hyon-Hui bt Chan Tan-Lui 21-15, 19-21, 23-21; Tu Jong-Sil bt Song Ah-Sim 21-9, 21-13; Wi Bok-Sun lost to Chan Tan-lui 19-21, 19-21; Kim Hyon-Hui bt Wong Ching 21-17, 13-21, 21-7).

QUARTER-FINALS: MEN: China bt Indonesia 3-0. JAPAN bt INDIA 3-0 (Koji Matsushita bt Chetan Baboor 21-15, 21-14; Hiroshi Shibutani bt S.Raman 14-21, 21-15, 21-16; Toshio Tasaki bt Arup Basak 21-17, 21-9).Taiwan bt Australia 3-0. South Korea bt Hong Kong 3-0.

WOMEN: China bt Singapore 3-0. South Korea bt Thailand 3-0. Hong Kong bt Japan 3-0. North Korea bt Taiwan 3-0

PRELIMINARY STAGE

Top finishers from each group advanced to the quarter-finals, second finishers to 9th-16th places playoff and third finishers to 17th-24th places play-off.

India's Results

MEN: GROUP G: INDIA bt PAKISTAN 3-0 (Chetan Baboor bt Kashif Razaq 21-12, 21-17; S. Raman bt Asim Qureshi 21-18, 21-15; Arup Basak bt Shakil Ahmed 21-10, 21-5). India top pool with two wins. Group H: Australia bt Iran 3-1. Australia top pool with two wins.

WOMEN: GROUP G: INDIA bt AUSTRALIA 3-1 (MS Mythili bt Tammy Gough 21-17, 22-20; NR Indu lost to Shirley Zhou 16-21, 17-21; Poulomi Ghatak bt Miao Miao by walkover; MS Mythili bt Shirley Zhou 15-21, 21-19, 21-15). Thailand top pool with two wins.