The Uber cup semifinal debutant Germany, upsetting Hong Kong, China 3-2 on Wednesday, could not cope with their Chinese opponents as they gave up the match in the first two singles and one doubles.

    "We know that we two teams are not on the same level, so we are aiming to learn something from world top team China," said 31-year-old Chinese German player Xu Huaiwen, adding that they just relaxed themselves in the match.

    "We are going to prepare thoroughly, and I am quite confident that no team can stop our winning streak," Chinese head coach Li Yongbo said of the finals on Saturday.

    Li's opponent on the coach seat Martijn Van Dooremalen, team manager of the Netherlands, said that his team had not set target high in this tournament and just play for it against China in the finals.

    When asked whether his six players could take just one point from definite favourite China, Martijn said: "You know yesterday when we were against hosts Japan, everybody thinks Japan will win the match, but we triumphed eventually. We are going to fight match for match though China is seen as the favourite."

    It takes six years for the Europeans to clinch a final berth in the world most prestigious women's team event. In 2000, Denmark spearheaded by Carmila Martin was beaten by China in the finals.

    In the China-Germany clash, Olympic champion and world number one player Zhang Ning had to work hard to defeat struggling Xu, winning at 21-17 and 21-14 in the first singles. Then the Chinese went to a 2-0 lead after reigning world champion Xie Xingfang also finished the second singles 21-17, 21-16.

    The winning point of the match came to China in the following second doubles as the world and Olympic champions Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen ousted Michaela Peiffer and Sandra Marinello 21-9, 21-4. The match lasted only 110 minutes.

    China, targeting for the fifth title in a row this time, entered the world most prestigious women team event in 1984, collecting altogether nine titles in the previous 11 performances.

    The Netherlands, entering the top four for the first time in the team event in 2002 in Guangzhou, got a flying start when their first single player Mia Audina, two time Olympic silver medallist, overwhelmed world junior champion Cheng Shao-Chieh 21-19 and 21-17.

    Veteran Judith meulendijks then put her team 2-0 lead by defeating Chien Yu-Chin, who got two points in the tough quarter-finals against Hong Kong, China on Wednesday, 22-20 and 21-17 in the second singles.

    The third singles saw the two players fighting closely when Karina de Wit finally sealed the match for her team by the score of 21-16, 14-21 and 21-15.

    The finals between China and the Netherlands will be held on Saturday. Enditem