Denmark's Viktor Axelsen suffered a shock quarter-final defeat at the BWF World Championships, but bounced back with victory at the China Open in Changzhou ©Getty Images

Denmark's Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen bounced back from disappointment at his home Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships to win the men's singles title at badminton's China Open, while An Se-young followed up success in Copenhagen with another women's singles gold in Changzhou.

This was the first edition of the China Open for four years after an easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

World number one Axelsen has dominated men's singles in the sport in recent years, but suffered a shock quarter-final defeat to HS Prannoy of India last month at the World Championships in the Danish capital.

At the first BWF World Tour Super 1000 event after the World Championships and last top-ranking tournament before December's World Tour Finals in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Axelsen was back to his best.

He faced unseeded Chinese home favourite Lu Guangzu who had enjoyed a terrific run to the final, and proved too strong in a 21-16, 21-19 victory at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre Xincheng Gymnasium.

Newly-crowned world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand was among the leading players who withdrew from the China Open, while beaten World Championships finalist Kodai Naraoka of Japan lost 18-21, 21-9, 22-20 in the quarter-finals to China's Shi Yuqi.

South Korea's world champion An Se-young won the women's singles title at the China Open ©Getty Images
South Korea's world champion An Se-young won the women's singles title at the China Open ©Getty Images

Shi had to settle for bronze after losing 21-13, 21-14 to Lu, and was joined on the podium by Indonesia's Jonatan Christie who was beaten 21-17, 21-14 by Axelsen.

In the women's singles, the top four seeds all reached the semi-finals, from which world champion An of South Korea emerged as the winner by beating Chinese Taipei's Olympic silver medallist Tai Tzu-ying 21-18, 21-14 and Japan's dethroned world champion Akane Yamaguchi 21-10, 21-19 in the decider.

Yamaguchi had edged past the Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China 19-21, 21-15, 21-17 in the semi-finals.

There was joy for the host nation in doubles competition as they won the men's and women's titles.

In the men's, Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang won the final 21-12, 21-14 against Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia.

World champions Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea had to settle for bronze after losing 21-18, 21-17 to Chia and Soh, with the podium completed by Japan's Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi who lost 21-16, 20-22, 22-20 to Liang and Wang in the semi-finals.

In the women's doubles, top seeds and three-time back-to-back world champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan triumphed 21-11, 21-17 against South Korean second seeds Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee.

Two Japanese pairs, Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida, and Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto, took the bronze medals.

The mixed doubles was also won by the world champions, Seo and Chae Yoo-jung of South Korea beating France's Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 21-19, 21-12.

Malaysia won both bronzes through Tan Kian Mengn and Lai Pei Jing, and Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.