Two-time reigning badminton world champion Akane Yamaguchi captured her third Japan Open women's singles title Sunday, while compatriot Kenta Nishimoto won the men's singles.
World No. 2 Yamaguchi, who won her second straight world championship last Sunday in Tokyo, cruised past South Korea's fourth-ranked An Se-young 21-9, 21-15 at Maruzen Intec Arena Osaka.
The 25-year-old Yamaguchi led the first game from start to finish. She scored seven straight points after An pulled even at 5-5 in the second game to take control of the 38-minute match.
"This is the best I've ever done," Yamaguchi said after crushing An in a rematch of their worlds semifinal. "Even though there were some tough spots, I was able to keep having fun right until the end."
Nishimoto, ranked 21st in the world, secured his maiden BWF World Tour title, edging Taiwan's fourth-ranked Chou Tien-chen 21-19, 21-23, 21-17.
The 28-year-old Nishimoto needed seven game points to clinch the first game before Chou won the tightly contested second game. After falling behind 6-5 in the third, Nishimoto reeled off three straight points and never trailed from there.
In mixed doubles, third-ranked Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino lost to the top-ranked Thailand pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai 16-21, 23-21, 21-18.