* Axelsen scalps third seed Jorgensen to set up final against Chen Long
* ‘Shrieking’ Marin in women’s singles final
Denmark’s former world junior champion Viktor Axelsen set up a mouth watering clash in the men’s singles final against reigning world champion Chen Long of China in the USD750,000 The Star Australian Open Superseries at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Center in Sydney on Sunday.
In Saturday’s semifinal, the 21-year-old Axelsen continued Friday with his giant killing feats in Sydney when he stopped compatriot and third seed Jan O Jorgensen in straight sets with a 21-17, 21-15 win in 45 minutes. In the first round Axelsen dumped defending champion and second seed Lin Dan.
This is the first time the Chinese superstar, with five world titles and two Olympic gold medals in his bag, had lost in a first round match. For Axelsen it is a certainly a fairy tale run in Sydney this year after losing in the first round last.
Chen Long, the world No 1, proved took strong for compatriot Tian Houwei with a 21-14, 21-19 in 58 minutes to battle for the USD56,250 winner’s purse that comes with the title in the world’s richest superseries tournament.
The women’s singles final will be between last year’s runners-up and reigning world champion Carolina Marin of Spain and China’s Wang Shixian after defeating their respective opponents from South Korea.
The third seeded Spaniard, known for her shrieks on the court, dumped fifth seeded Sung Ji-hyun 21-13, 21-14 in 43 minutes while Shixian stayed longer (54 minutes) on the court before prevailing 21-19, 21-16 against Bae Yeon-ju.
Defending champions and top seeds Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong stayed on course to retain their title with a hard fought 22-20, 21-8 win over China’s Chai Biao-Hong Wei (4th seeds) after 56 minutes. In the final the world No 1 pair will face another Chinese hurdle in Liu Cheng-Lu Kai who defeated Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan 17-21, 21-11, 21-13 in an all-China semi-final.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
MEN
Singles
Viktor Axelsen (Den) beat Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 21-17, 21-15
Chen Long (Chn) beat Tian Houwei (Chn) 21-14, 21-19
Doubles
Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon Seong (Kor) beat Chai Biao-Hong Wei 22-20, 21-18
Liu Cheng-Lu Kai (Chn) beat Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan (Chn) 21-8, 9-21, 21-15
WOMEN
Singles
Wang Shixian (Chn) beat Bae Yeon-ju (Kor) 21-19, 21-16
Carolina Marin (Spn) beat Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) 21-13, 21-14
Doubles
Ma Jin-Tang Yuanting (Chn) beat Christinna Pedersen Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 21-16, 21-18
Tang Jinhua-Tian Qing (Chn) beat Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-15, 19-21, 21-8
Mixed Doubles
Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (Hkg) beat Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Ina) 21-8, 9-21, 21-15
Liu Cheng-Bao Yixin beat Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na 21-17, 21-16
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