Denmark's Viktor Axelsen successfully defended his Olympic badminton title on Monday, demolishing Thailand's world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men's singles final in Paris.

Backed by a vocal crowd of Danish fans at La Chapelle Arena, the second-seeded Axelsen battled past his eighth-seeded opponent 21-11, 21-11 in 52 minutes.

Vitidsarn's silver was Thailand's first-ever Olympic medal in badminton.

Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia took bronze after beating India's Lakshya Sen 13-21, 21-16, 21-11.

The lanky Dane became the first man to retain his Olympic men's singles title since Chinese legend Lin Dan, who won in 2008 and 2012.

But Axelsen brushed aside suggestions that he had reached the same level as the Chinese player, calling him the greatest of all time.

"For me he (Lin) is the GOAT and I'm just very happy and proud to be, in Olympic terms, on the same level," Axlesen said of Lin, who was also present in the arena.

"But in my eyes, he stands as the best ever." (Agencies)