Olympic champion Carolina Marin completed the title defense by winning the DAIHATSU YONEX Japan Open 2018 (700.000 US Dollar) title on Sunday. The 25-year-old Spaniard defeated 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara to claim her eighth Superseries/World Tour career title and first of 2018.

Winning a battle of high-level play in the thrilling three-game match, Marin defeated eight-seeded Okuhara of Japan 21-19, 17-21, 21-11 to become the first women’s singles player to defend in Tokyo since China’s Wang Yihan in 2009. 

Marin came back from 16-19 down to win the opening game, then - in the second game - Okuhara won six points in a row to force a deciding rubber game. The 25-year old from Spain dominated the final game to add another big title to her impressive trophy collection.

In-form Momota wins first title on home soil

The Japan Open men's title was claimed by Japanese reigning world champion Kento Momota, who defeated Thailand's Khosit Phetpradab 21-14, 21-11 in a one-sided final. Momota has been brilliant all week, never dropping a  single game and defeating world number one and title holder Viktor Axelsen in the semi-finals.

The DAIHATSU YONEX Japan Open 2018 finals results:

MS: Kento Momota (JPN) - Khosit Phetpradab (THA) 21-14, 21-11

WS: Carolina Marin (ESP) - Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) 21-19, 17-21, 21-11
MD: Marcus Gideon/Kevin Sukamuljo (INA) - Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (CHN) 21-11, 21-13

WD: Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN) - Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan (CHN) 21-15, 21-12

XD: Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong (CHN) - Wang Yilyu/Huang Dongping (CHN) 21-19, 21-8