Lin Dan will take on Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in today’s men’s singles final at the Total BWF World Championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.

Lin, the five time champion, defeated top seed Son Wan Ho, 21-17, 21-14, to make it to his seventh world final. The 33-year-old may have reached the veteran stage, but he outshone the 29-year-old world No 1 from South Korea. A run of five points in a row from 15-16 down helped seal the first game and he also made another charge mid-way through the second.

“Everyone is talking about my age, but I have proved I can still play at a high level,” said Lin, who won his titles between 2006 and 2013.

“Men’s singles is very tough these days, it is a very hard route to the final. I always feel nervous before big matches, but I am very happy that I have had great support here.

“I watched Viktor’s semi-final and he’s playing very well. But tomorrow is the last match and I will be giving 1000 per cent.”

Revenge was oh so sweet for Axelsen when he beat reigning champion Chen Long in a brief semi-final. Axelsen lost to Chen in the semi-finals at last year’s Olympic Games, with the Chinese player going on to take gold.

But yesterday the last European hope in either singles events was by far the superior player, winning 21-9, 21-10, in just 39 minutes.

“I have dreamed of making a World Championship final since I was a little boy,” the No 3 seed said. “Now my mind set is to win gold.

“Denmark is just a small country and it is great to be able to compete against the very best.”

In the women’s singles, India’s Saina Nehwal, conqueror of Scot Kirsty Gilmour in the quarter-finals, went out to Nozomi Okuhara.

In a close match, the Japanese player had to come from behind to win 12-21, 21-17, 21-10. She now aims to become the first Japanese player to win the title.

Hope of a British finalist came to an end with the defeat of Chris and Gabby Adcock in the mixed doubles. The husband and wife partnership lost to Chinese top seeds, Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen 21-15, 23-21. Chris now has a bronze medal to go along with the silver he claimed with Scot Imogen Bankier in 2011.