The Japanese star had seen his previous two opponents withdraw from matches after only one game had been played at the Haixia Olympic Sports Center.

It was a different story in the quarter-finals, as Axelsen took their men’s singles quarter-final to a decider after levelling their tie at one game all.

But the Japanese top seed was able to book his place in the last four with a 21-18, 12-21, 21-16 victory.

The defending champion will face further Danish opposition in Rasmus Gemke.

Gemke came from a game down to win his quarter-final 13-21, 21-14, 22-20 against Hong Kong’s Na Ka Long.

Second seed Chou Tien-chen features in the second semi-final after the Chinese Taipei player won 21-17, 21-18 against China’s Lu Guangzu.

Chou will play Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, who beat Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-16, 21-11.

World number one Tai Tzu-Ying progressed to the last four in the women’s singles competition, courtesy of a 21-15, 11-21, 21-13 win over South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun.

The Chinese Taipei star will play Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara after the fourth seed won 21-12, 21-11 against China’s He Bingjiao.

China’s Chen Yufei overcame Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 21-15, 21-13 in her quarter-final to set up a meeting with Canada’s Michelle Li.

Li was a 21-16, 23-21 winner over Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan.