Olympic table tennis player Ai Fukuhara extended her unbeaten streak at the World Junior Championships on Tuesday, helping Japan beat Romania in the semifinals to set up a meeting with China in the women's team final.
Ai Fukuhara reacts during her match against the Romanian team in the World Junior Table Tennis
Championship in Osaka.
Fukuhara beat Lulia Necula 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9 to give Japan a 1-0 lead and then returned to the court to seal a 3-1 win for the host with an 11-8, 11-6, 11-1 win over Daniela Dodean at Kobe World Memorial Hall.
The 16-year-old Fukuhara, who finished in the last 16 in her Olympic debut in Athens this past summer, stretched her winning streak to eight in as many matches in the team event.
In the men's team semifinals, Japan lost 3-2 to favorite China.