Winner Viktor Axelsen (L) of Denmark and runner-up Lee Chong Wei (R) of Malaysia pose during the awards ceremony after the men's singles final match at the Japan Open Badminton Championships in Tokyo. (AFP Photo)
Tokyo, September 24 (IANS): Denmark's reigning world champion Viktor Axelsen and 2016 Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain clinched the men's and women's singles titles respectively at the $325,000 Japan Open Superseries badminton championships here on Sunday.
Third seeded 23-year-old Axelsen fought past Malaysian veteran and three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei 21-14, 19-21, 21-14 in an hour and 15 minutes.
This was the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Axelsen's second Superseries title of 2017. With this win, Axelsen improved his head-to-head record against Chong Wei to 2-9.
Two-time world champion Marin moved past defending champion He Bingjiao of China 23-21, 21-12 in 53 minutes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
This was Marin's first Superseries title of 2017 after three runner-up finishes in India, Singapore and Malaysia.
