LEE Chong Wei failed in his bid to win his seventh Japan Open Super Series title after losing to newly crowned world champion, Viktor Axelsen in a closely fought final match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, today.

The Penangite, who is also the defending champion, lost 14-21 in the opening set before stepping up his gas to secure a 21-19 win in the second set but the towering Danish shuttler was in his element as he wrapped the match with a 21-14 victory.

It was a back-to-back defeat to Axelsen for Lee, having lost to the Dane in the World Super Series Finals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in December last year.

Lee had won the Japan Open title six times – 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Meanwhile, Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan won the women’s doubles title after edging Kim Ha Na and Kong Hee Yong of South Korea; 21-18 and 21-16.

In the women’s singles, the fifth seeded Spaniard Carolina Marin stunned the reigning champion, China’s He Bingjiao, by winning 23-21 and 21-12.

In the men’s doubles, third seed Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia dislodged the host pair Takuto Inoue and Yuki Kaneko by 21-12 and 21-15 to win the title.

China’s Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping won the mixed doubles title by defeating the Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Sayaka Hirota by 21-13 and 21-8. – Bernama, September 24, 2017.