Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei yesterday won his sixth Yonex Open Japan title, defeating third seed Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark.
Lee, a silver medallist in the last three Olympics, triumphed 21-18, 15-21, 21-16 against the Dane. The 33-year-old world number one had sailed through the men’s singles at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium without losing a single game.
But he had more of a contest in the final, with Jorgensen taking the second game. Lee also won the Japan Open in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010 and 2007.
He has recently hinted at extending his career to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for another shot at an elusive badminton gold, despite earlier indicating the Rio games would be his last.
In women’s doubles, Danish pair Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl — silver medallists in Rio — had their revenge on Rio gold-winning Japanese rivals Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi 19-21, 21-18, 21-12.
In women’s singles, He Bingjiao of China won the title after defeating compatriot Sun Yu 21-14, 7-21, 21-18. Sun had silenced Japanese fans in the semi-finals after crushing the 12th ranked Akane Yamaguchi. In men’s doubles, Chinese pair Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen overwhelmed Koreans Kim Gi Jung and Ko Sung Hyun 21-12, 21-12.