Axelsen defeats Christie to advance to the India Open championship
The world’s best Viktor Axelsen defeated Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-6, 21-12 on Saturday to go to the badminton final of the India Open.
In the men’s singles semi-finals in New Delhi, the Danish ace and top seed, fresh off his Malaysia Open victory on Sunday, served out his fourth-seed opponent in 38 minutes.
“I feel fantastic. As I entered my play today, I felt incredibly fresh “Axelsen, whose Friday quarterfinal match was terminated due to the retirement of his countryman Rasmus Gemke due to a leg injury, stated.
“I shot well and moved well.”
In the Sunday final, Axelsen, who won the India Open in 2017 and 2019, will face Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who defeated Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 27-25, 21-15.
“I’m looking forward to a good final and I have played Vitidsarn on several occasions in the final,” he said. The 21-year-old Vitidsarn, a former world junior champion, banked on strong defence to counter the attacking style of Ginting, who started by taking a 12-6 lead, in a 58-minute battle.
Akane Yamaguchi, the top seed and a Japanese star in the women’s division, defeated Thailand’s Supanida Katethong 21-17, 21-16 to go to the championship match against An Se-young, a rematch of the match Yamaguchi won on Sunday in Malaysia.
The two-time world champion and current number one in the world played at the top of her game to defeat the Thai in 39 minutes.
An of South Korea overcame a game down to defeat He Bing Jiao of China in the other semifinal match, 11-21, 21-16, 21-16.