KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Lee Chong Wei fell short in his quest to win a seventh Japan Open title on Sunday, when he crashed out in the final in Tokyo. Playing in his ninth Japan Open final, Chong Wei was forced to play second best when he lost 21-14, 19-21, 21-14 to reigning world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. The victory is only the Dane's second over Chong Wei in 11 previous meetings. Axelsen, who defeated five-time world champion Lin Dan of China last month for the world crown, pocketed US$24,375 (approximately RM102,000) in prize money, while Chong Wei settled for US$12,350 (approximately RM52,000). In the women's singles, Spain's Carolina Marin came out tops with a straight 23-21, 21-12 win over China's He Bingjiao.

Source: New Strait Times September 24, 2017 11:03 UTC