Third seed Viktor Axelsen swept past Korea’s world number one Son Wan Ho in brilliant style to set up a Yonex Japan Open final against Lee Chong Wei. The Dane won the re-match of last year’s Tokyo quarter-final 21-16, 21-16 to advance to his second Japan Open final.
World champion Axelsen, 23, will try for a first Yonex Japan Open and third Superseries career title on Sunday, against a well-known opponent, who already won this event six times.
In the second men’s singles semi-finals Lee Chong Wei, 34, beat second seed Shi Yuqi of China 21-19, 21-8 earlier in the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Axelsen: „Son Wan Ho is world no 1 for a good reason“
„I am really happy to be through to the final here“, Axelsen wrote to his fans on Facebook. „Son Wan Ho is always a tough opponent! Son Wan Ho is world number one for good reason but I am really happy with my attacking game. There were a few mistakes but I handled the situation well.“
"Against Lee Chong Wei it will be another really tough match, where I have to play my best to win. I respect Lee Chong Wei a lot. He has won so many tournaments and I have only beaten him once.“
Carolina Marin will face He Bingjiao in Sunday’s final
In the women's singles, Spain's Olympic Champion Carolina Marin moved into the final as Japan's Nozomi Okuhara - the winner of the tournament in 2015 - dropped out from the semi-finals due to knee trouble. „Get well soon, Nozomi. I wish you the best!“, the Spaniard wrote on Instagram.
Marin faces China's He Bingjiao who beat Chen Yufei 21-14, 25-23. Denmark’s Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen and Vladimir Ivanov/Ivan Sozonov of Russia were beaten in the semi-finals of the 325.000 Dollars event.
For all results from today’s semi-finals in Tokyo click
HERE.
Article by Manuel Rösler. Photo by BadmintonPhoto (LIVE).
The Sunday’ finals:
MS: Viktor Axelsen (DEN) - Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
WS: Carolina Marin (ESP) - He Bingjiao (CHN)
MD: Marcus Gideon/Kevin Sukamuljo (INA) - Takuto Inoue/Yuki Kaneko (JPN)
WD: Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) - Kim Ha Na/Hee Yong Kong (KOR)
XD: Wang Yilyu/Huang Dongping (CHN) - Takuro Hoki/Sayaka Hirota (JPN)
Recent Yonex Japan Open champions from Europe:
2016: Kamilla Rytter Juhl/Christinna Pedersen (DEN)
2015: Joachim Fischer/Christinna Pedersen (DEN)
2008: Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen (DEN)
2007: Tine Baun (DEN)
2005: Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard (DEN)
2004: Mia Audina (NED)
2003: Camilla Martin (DEN)
1999: Peter Gade (DEN)
1998: Peter Gade (DEN)