Nozomi Okuhara will compete in the final on her 21st birthday ©Getty Images

Nozomi Okuhara will aim to become the first Japanese player to win the All England Open Badmintion Championship women’s crown since 1977 after knocking out defending champion Carolina Marin to reach the final at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham.

Marin had been growing in confidence throughout the duration of the tournament having recovered from a shoulder problem and the Spaniard breezed to the opening game 21-11.

Okuhara put the bad start behind her to come roaring back into the match, taking the second 21-16 and force the contest into a decider.

The Japanese star maintained the momentum to comfortably secure the third game 21-14.

It means she will compete in her first All-England final on her 21st birthday tomorrow.

Okuhara will meet two-time winner Wang Shixian tomorrow.

The Chinese player came from behind to beat Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu-ying 21-23, 21-12, 21-15.

China’s Lin Dan will go in search of his sixth men’s title at the annual event, following the double Olympic champion sealing an 18-21, 21-15,  21-9 win over compatriot Xue Song.

Regardless of the outcome in the final, the title will remain in Chinese hands after Tian Houwei beat Denmark’s Hans-Kristian Vittinghus 15-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the other semi-final.

Lin Dan will look to secure his sixth All-England title
Lin Dan will look to secure his sixth All-England title ©Getty Images

English hopes of success drew to a close as the husband and wife team of Chris and Gabby Adcock fell to a 21-13, 22-20 defeat to Denmark’s Joachim Nielsen and Christinna Pederson in the mixed doubles.

The winner will now take on Indonesia's Praveen Jordan and Debby Susanto, with both teams vying for their first victory at the Championships.

Jordan and Susanto secured a shock 21-19, 21-16 triumph over world champions and holders Nan Zhang and Zhao Yunlei of China.

Tang Yuanting and Yu Yang could help deliver more Chinese success as the duo beat Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl in a gruelling women’s doubles tie 21-19, 9-21, 21-14.

They will meet Japan’s Misaki Matsuotomo and Ayaka Takahashi after they defeated top seeds Luo Ying and Luo Yu of China 21-12, 21-9.

Russia’s Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov continued their surprise run in the men’s doubles, defeating the number one seeds Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong of South Korea 14-21, 21-17, 21-15.

The duo will take on Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa, who overcame Malaysia’s Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong 21-13, 21-15.