Wiktor Axelsen he remains the man to beat in badminton after reaching the final of the India Open on Saturday (21 January).
The reigning world champion and Olympic champion from Denmark was in his best clinical form against the fourth seed Jonathan Christiewinning 21-6, 21-12.
Fresh off of last week’s Malaysia Open win, Axelsen has made steady progress in New Delhi with the exception of a second-round test match against Shi Yuqi People’s Republic of China.
He dominated from the start against Christie, leading 11-4 at the first break, which he quickly converted.
The Indonesian put up more resistance in the second game, displaying incredible defense at times to extend rallies, but this was merely a delay to the inevitable as the world’s number one finished in just 38 minutes.
Axelsen has advanced to his fifth India Open final, more than any other player in singles or doubles, and needs one more win to seal his fourth consecutive BWF Tour title.
will meet Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Sunday in a repeat of last year’s World Cup final.
Vitidsarn defeated Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Antoni Ginting 27-25, 21-15 in a disappointing day for Indonesia.
Saving six points in the game, Ginting wasted a routine service comeback to give first blood to the three-time Junior World Champion.
And the 21-year-old Taj roared back from 13-8 in the second game, scoring his last eight points in a row to complete the win.
Yamaguchi and An set up a rematch in the women’s final
For the second week in a row Yamaguchi Akane and An Se Young will face the BWF Tour after going through the semi-finals on Saturday.
Last Sunday’s Malaysia Open winner Yamaguchi defeated the unseeded Supanida Katethong 21-17, 21-16 to reach his first final in India.
She led 11-7 in the first game, but the left-handed Thai cut the gap to one before the top seed took the lead.
It was a similar story in the second game where Katethong was never able to get parity on the scoreboard as the two-time reigning world champion Japan again found more in the closing stages.
The second seed An had to come from behind to beat He Bingjiao 11-21, 21-16, 21-16.
He was inspired in the first game, but her Republic of Korea opponent improved in the second, forcing a tiebreaker.
The Chinese looked set to take the lead as they took the lead 11-7 at half-time, but An scored seven of the next eight points to take the lead.
With both players showing signs of fatigue, he was the one to start making mistakes as An took her first win over the left-hander in five games.
India Open 2023 Singles Semi-Finals Results
women’s
1-Yamaguchi Akane (JPN) def. Supanida Katethong (THA) 21-17, 21-16.
2-An Se Young (KOR) def. 4-He Bingjiao (CHN) 11-21, 21-16, 21-16.
male
8-Kunlavut Vitidsarn (THA) def. 6-Anthony Ginting (INA) 27-25, 21-15.
1-Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) def. 4-Jonathan Christie (INA) 21-6, 21-12.
