Chong Wei felled by the Ax in final
World badminton champion Viktor Axelsen defeated Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei yesterday to clinch his first Japan Open title.
Axelsen, who defeated two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China to bag the world title in Glasgow last month, edged out defending champion Lee 21-14, 19-21, 21-14 in the men's singles final in Tokyo.
Lee, who had won the Japan Open six times, narrowly took the second game but the 1.94m-tall Dane put in a brilliant performance to triumph in the third.
Lee, 34, was hoping for a win to mark his 100th career final, but can take heart from a better performance than the world meet, where he suffered a first-round exit.
In the women's singles, Spain's Carolina Marin, last year's Olympic gold medallist, overwhelmed He Bingjiao of China 23-21, 21-12.
Japan's Rio Olympic gold medallists Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo beat South Korea's Kim Ha Na and Kong Hee Yong 21-18, 21-16 in the women's doubles final, to the delight of local fans at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
But Japanese male duo Takuto Inoue and Yuki Kaneko lost 21-12, 21-15 to Indonesia's Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo in the men's doubles final.
In the mixed doubles, Chinese pair Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping overpowered Takuro Hoki and Sayaka Hirota of Japan 21-13, 21-8. - AFP
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