Viktor Axelsen defeats Kento Momota to win the Malaysia Open title

This season saw only one defending champion retaining the title.

The Malaysia Open Super 750 ended with mind-boggling performances on the final day. This year only one discipline witnessed title retention. The event also saw diversified winners this year.

World no.1 Viktor Axelsen won his first ever Super 750 event by defeating Kento Momota in the finals. Defending champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Ya Qiong of China also retained their title.

Let’s have a look at the winners of the Malaysia Open Super 750.

Ratchanok Intanon defeated the Olympic Champion Chen Yufei.

Former World no.1 Ratchanok Intanon played the match of her life by defeating the Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China to clinch her second Malaysia Open title. Intanon was playing in her second final of the year but it was her first title in two years.

The former World Champion left no stone unturned in the pursuit of being the champion in the final. After taking the first game 21-15, the Chinese ace gave a blow to the former World no.1 as she won the second game 21-13.

In the third game, Intanon opened a huge 10-1 lead against Chen. She then went on to pocket points after points to win the game and the Malaysia Open title 21-15, 13-21, 21-16. This was a major win for the Thai shuttler as she had a poor head-to-head record 15 losses over 2 wins against her opponent.

Viktor Axelsen outclassed Kento Momota in the final.

Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark had a match to remember against his arch-rival Kento Momota of Japan. The Dane, who had only defeated his opponent thrice with 14 losses before the match turned the tables in fine fashion.

Axelsen not only destroyed Momota’s game, he also outshined his opponent in a one-sided battle. The World no.1 clinched the first game with a suprising scoreline 21-7.

In the second game, it was expected that the Japanese ace would bounce back. However, his game was completely broken by Viktor’s speedy and aggressive game as the Dane took the match away 21-7, 21-4.

With this win, Axelsen clinched his first ever Malaysia Open title and also a first-ever Super 750 event.

World no.1s Zheng Siwei and Huang Ya Qiong defeated Puavaranukroh and Taerattanachai.

Olympic silver medalists Zheng Siwei and Huang Ya Qiaong of China defeated the Thai pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanchai.

The duo was completely dominated by the Chinese pair as the second seeds kept them trailing for the entire match. The Thai pair did not stage a fightback as they lost the match 13-21, 18-21. The Chinese duo was the only defending champion to retain their title this season. This was also the fourth consecutive title of the Chinese pair this year.

Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Ramdhanti won their first title as a pair.

The newly paired Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Ramdhanti of Indonesia won their first title as pair by defeating Zheng Yu and Zhang Shuxian. It took three games for the Indonesian pair to lift the Malaysia Open title. The unseeded pair won the match 21-18, 12-21, 21-19.

Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi won a hard fought battle against Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto.

World no.2s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan won a pulsating encounter against Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto of Indonesia. The Japanese duo won the first game with a close margin at 24-22 before losing the second 16-21.

However, they didn’t let this affect the momentum and gained a huge lead in the deciding game and won the match 24-22, 16-21, 21-9. The duo lifted their second title of the year.

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