Kento Momota is through to the semi-finals of the men's singles event at the BWF Denmark Open ©Getty Images

Japan's Kento Momota edged closer to the successful defence of his men's singles title at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Denmark Open, after beating home player Rasmus Gemke in the quarter-finals in Odense today.

Momota, the top seed and world number one, battled to a hard-fought 21-14, 21-23, 21-13 win at Odense Sports Park in this BWF Super 750 tournament.

Next up for the two-time reigning world champion is Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto, who defeated Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin 21-17, 21-19.

Also through to the semi-finals is fifth-seeded Chinese Chen Long, the reigning Olympic champion, following a 21-17, 21-17 victory over second-seeded Taiwanese Chou Tien Chen.

Standing between Chen and a place in the final is seventh-seeded Dane Viktor Axelsen after he overcame fellow home player Anders Antonsen, the fourth seed, 24-22, 21-12.

In the women's singles event, second-seeded Chinese Chen Yu Fei advanced to the last four by beating Japan's Sayaka Takahashi 21-9, 21-7.

Chen will now go on to face defending champion Tai Tzu Ying after the fourth-seeded Taiwanese defeated Japan's Aya Ohori 21-16, 21-12.

Another player progressing to the semi-finals was third-seeded Japanese Nozomi Okuhara, the 2017 world champion, on the back of a 21-17, 21-8 win at the expense of the United States' Zhang Beiwen.

Awaiting Okuhara in the semi-finals is Spain's three-time world champion and reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marín, who ended the run of 17-year-old South Korean An Se Young after coming from behind to take a thrilling match 18-21, 21-19, 21-18.

Competition is due to continue until Sunday (October 20).