Summary
Viktor Axelsen (born 4 January 1994) is a Danish badminton player who is the current number one ranked men's singles player in the world.[2] He is a two-time World Championship gold medalist, defeating Lin Dan in 2017 final and Kunlavut Vitidsarn in 2022 final. He is also the reigning Olympic Champion, having won at the 2020 event.[3]
He won the 2010 World Junior Championships, beating South Korea's Kang Ji-wook in the final to become the first ever European singles player to hold the title.[4] Axelsen is a three-time European champion, having won the title in 2016, 2018 and 2022.[5]
Early life edit
Axelsen was born in Odense, to Henrik Axelsen and Gitte Lundager. At six years old, his father introduced him to badminton, playing the games at the Odense badminton club.[6][7] He lived with his father after his parents divorced, and then lived alone in Copenhagen at the age of 17 and joined the national team.[8] His father ran a small advertising agency for a number of years, but now works full time as a manager for his son. His mother has a shop in central Odense with a hairdressing salon, cosmetics, and fashion clothing. He was named the 2004 Player of the Year by the Odense badminton club.[9]
Career edit
2006–2011: Early career and World Junior title edit
Axelsen's achievements began when he won the National junior event in the boys' singles and doubles in his age group in 2006 and 2008.[9] He later emerged victorious at the 2009 German Junior and also at the European U17 Championships.[10] He made his debut in the senior international tournament at the 2009 Denmark Open playing in the men's doubles event with Steffen Rasmussen.[6]
In January 2010, Axelsen who played from the qualification round, manage to reach the finals at the Swedish International tournament, and finished as the runner-up after losing to Indra Bagus Ade Chandra in straight games 15–21, 12–21.[11] He competed at the World Junior Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, claimed the boys' singles title by defeating the No.1 seed, China's Huang Yuxiang in the quarter-finals, India's B. Sai Praneeth in the semis and Kang Ji-wook of Korea in the final.[10] In October, he claimed his first international senior title at the age of just sixteen, winning the Cyprus International.[12] A few weeks later he entered his first Super Series event in singles, the 2010 Denmark Open; making it through the qualifying stages before losing out to compatriot and eventual winner Jan Ø. Jørgensen in the second round.[13]
In 2011, Axelsen secured gold at the European Junior Championships, defeating teammate Rasmus Fladberg 21–8, 17–21, 21–13 in the final.[14] He took a silver medal at the 2011 BWF World Junior Championships, losing the title to Malaysia's Zulfadli Zulkiffli, coming in second place.[15]
2012–2014: First Grand Prix title, European and World bronze edit
In early 2012, Axelsen moved to Valby, in Copenhagen, and started training at Brøndby elite center.[7] Axelsen finished runner-up at the French Open in Paris, losing in the final to Liew Daren 18–21, 17–21.[16] He also won a bronze medal at the 2012 European Championships, losing the semi-final in three games to Sweden's Henri Hurskainen 21–18, 18–21, 17–21.[17]
In 2014, Axelsen won his first Grand Prix title at the Swiss Open, beating China's Tian Houwei in the final 21–7, 16–21, 25–23.[18] Axelsen won a bronze medal at the 2014 BWF World Championships and also a bronze medal again at the 2014 European Championships.[19]
2015–2016: European champion, Olympic bronze, and Superseries title edit
In 2015, Axelsen finished runners-up at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, and three Super Series events: India Open, Australian Open, and Japan Open. He qualified to compete at the Super Series Finals held in Dubai, and again finished as the runner-up.[20] Axelsen featured in Denmark's winning team at the European Mixed Team Championships in Leuven, Belgium.[21][22] At the Sudirman Cup, the team finished in the quarter finals lost 2–3 to Japanese team, where he played in the second matches.[23] He ended the 2015 season ranked as world number 6.
In 2016, Axelsen earned his first European crown in May 2016, beating compatriot and defending champion Jan Ø. Jørgensen with 21–11, 21–16 in the final of the 25th edition of the European Championships, the first in France at La Roche-sur-Yon. He was also part of the historic Danish team winning the first ever Thomas Cup title in 2016. Axelsen won five of his six played singles matches in the team tournament, including the match against Indonesia's experienced player Tommy Sugiarto in the final (21–17, 21–18) setting up a dramatic and historic 3–2 victory for Denmark over Indonesia. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, he won the bronze medal by beating Lin Dan from China 21–15, 12–21, 21–17.
2017: World champion, second Superseries Finals title, World number 1 edit
In 2017, Axelsen won the World Championships in Glasgow in straight games against Lin Dan (22–20, 21–16) and became the third Danish player to ever become a world champion (Peter Rasmussen 1997 in Glasgow & Flemming Delfs 1977 in Sweden).[19] Axelsen, with a record of 4–3, is the only top twenty player to hold a winning record against Lin Dan, head-to-head.[24]
Axelsen followed up his victory in Glasgow by winning the finals of the Japan Open tournament in Tokyo over Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in three sets on 23 September, propelling him to the top of the BWF World Rankings.[25]
2018–2019: Second European Championships title edit
In 2018, Axelsen participated in the European Men's and Women's Team Badminton Championships and got a gold after suffering from a foot injury. He represented Denmark in the 2018 Thomas & Uber Cup. In the group stage, he defeated Vladimir Malkov from Russia and from Algeria. In the group stage match against Lee Chong Wei, he lost by two straight games 9–21, 19–21. In the quarter-finals match against South Korea, he defeated Son Wan-ho, but he lost to the favorite and former world no. 2, Kento Momota in semi-finals. Denmark was then eliminated in semi-finals and failed to defend the title in the 2016 event. In August, Axelsen was unable to defend his world title where he was defeated by two-time World Champion and reigning Olympic Champion Chen Long in the quarter-finals.[26]
2020: All England Open title edit
Axelsen started the season by competing in the Indonesia Masters. He finished as the semi-finalist after losing to home player the seventh seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in two straight games.[27] In February, he managed to defend his title in the Barcelona Spain Masters after beating the Thai youngster Kunlavut Vitidsarn in straight games 21–16, 21–13.[28] In March, he won the All England Open, making history as the first European and Dane to lift the men's singles trophy since 1999.[29]
2021: Olympic gold, first Denmark Open title and "Male Player Of The Year" award edit
Axelsen participated at the European Mixed Team Championships in Finland, and helped the team to win the gold medal.[30] In March, Axelsen entered the All England Open as the defending champion. He reached the final, but lost to 6th seed Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in a grueling 3-game match (29–30, 22–20, 9–21).[31] He then took part at the Kyiv European Championships, advanced to the final, but the organizers decided to cancel the finals, since Axelsen tested positive for COVID-19. Consequently, he was barred from playing the final match with his compatriot Anders Antonsen and was awarded a silver medal.[32] He won the gold medal in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, beating the defending champion Chen Long in straight games in the final and without dropping a single game in the entire tournament.[33]
In October, he won the Denmark Open title, defeating the top seed and world no.1 Kento Momota in a thrilling final match in three games. The match lasted 93 minutes. This was Axelsen's only second ever victory over Momota in their sixteen encounters.[34] He then won his second super 1000 title of the year at the Indonesian Open by beating Singapore's Loh Kean Yew.[35] For his achievements, Axelsen regain the number 1 spot at the BWF World ranking and have been named the 2020/2021 BWF Male Player of the Year.[36][37] He then won the season ending of the 2021 BWF World Tour Finals, beating the current Eddy Chong Most Promising Player, Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the final in straight games, adding another victory to his undeniably successful year.[38]
The following month, Axelsen crashed out in the first round to the eventual World Champion Loh Kean Yew in the World Championships, losing 21–14, 9–21, 6–21 in 54 minutes.[39]
2022: Second World Championship title and "Male Player of The Year" award edit
Axelsen started the 2022 season as the world number one on the BWF World Ranking.[40] He reached the semi-finals of the German Open 2022 where he narrowly lost in three games (13–21, 21–12, 20–22) to Indian player Lakshya Sen.[41][42]
On March 20, Axelsen won the All England Open in convincing fashion without dropping a single game in the entire tournament. He defeated Lakshya Sen in the finals (21–10, 21–15).[43]
On 30 April, Axelsen won his third European Championship by defeating compatriot Anders Antonsen, 21–17, 21–15, in Madrid, Spain. He joined Flemming Delfs, Poul-Erik Høyer and Peter Gade as Danish three-time winners in men's singles.[44] Despite the win, Axelsen was not satisfied with the win, saying that there were many silly mistakes from both players.[45]
On July 3, Axelsen won the Malaysia Open for the first time by defeating Kento Momota 21–4, 21–7 in the final, becoming the first Dane to win the event in 15 years.[46] The next day, Axelsen withdrew from the 2022 Malaysia Masters, which was the next event on the tour.[47] Axelsen then withdrew from the Singapore Open, taking a break in Singapore before moving on to the World Championships in August.[48]
In August, Axelsen won the World Championships, defeating Thailand's three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the final, 21–5, 21–16.[49] This was a second world championships title for Axelsen, adding on to the gold medal he won in 2017.
In mid October, Axelsen took part in his home event as the defending champion, the Denmark Open. In the quarterfinals, he lost to his training partner and former world champion Loh Kean Yew in a tame defeat, losing 17–21, 10–21 in just 30 minutes.[50] Prior to this match, Axelsen had held a 39 match-winning streak, and his only loss in 2022 so far was to a narrow loss to Lakshya Sen in the German Open semi-final.[51] After the match, Axelsen declared that he did not play up to his usual standard, going as far to describe his own play as "embarrassing", apologizing to the home crowd for his performance in the interview.[52]
However, he won the French Open title, a week after the Denmark Open. He defeated Rasmus Gemke in the final, in straight games 21–14 21–15, without dropping a game in the entire tournament.[citation needed] For his amazing performance in this year, only losing two completed matches, he was crowned as the BWF Male Player Of The Year, for the 2nd time after winning it last year.[53] In the World Tour Finals, which had initially been scheduled in Guangzhou but was later moved to Bangkok, number one seed Axelsen went on to become champion after defeating Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in straight sets, 21–13 21–14, ending 2022 with year-end number 1 ranking, 6 titles, and only 3 losses (out of 55 matches).
2023: Continued domination despite recurring injuries — World Tour Finals title and three Super 1000 titles edit
In the inaugural tournament and Super 1000 event of the year, Malaysia Open, Viktor Axelsen successfully defended his championship title by defeating opponents Rasmus Gemke, Liew Daren, Kenta Nishimoto, and finalist Kodai Naraoka, dropping only one game in the opening round against Gemke. In the three matches leading up to the title, Axelsen did not concede a game or more than 7 points in the opening games. Subsequently, Axelsen participated in the Indian Open, a Super 750 event, where he encountered minimal resistance en route to the final. Notable victories over Srikanth Kidambi, Shi Yuqi, and Rasmus Gemke secured his place in the championship match where he was bested by the eighth seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the final, with a final score of 20-22, 21-10, 12-21.
In the All England Open tournament held in March, Axelsen faced an upset exit in the second round, losing to unseeded Ng Tze Yong in a closely contested three-game match. Later the same month, he advanced to the semi-finals of the Swiss Open but was defeated by Chou Tien-chen in two games. Participating in the Sudirman Cup, Axelsen helped the Denmark team reach the quarter-finals. However, Denmark suffered a 1-3 loss to Malaysia, with Axelsen sustaining a left hamstring injury during the first game against Lee Zii Jia. This injury occurred just after approximately 5 minutes of play with the score tied at 4-4.[54]
Consequently, Axelsen opted out of the Singapore Open in June, citing the need for rehabilitation due to his muscle strain. He claimed on Twitter that the Badminton World Federation intended to fine him $5,000 for his absence, while he was engaged in recovery. However, the BWF dismissed his statement as "inaccurate and out of context".[55] Later in the same month, despite just recovering from his injury, Axelsen participated in the Indonesia Open, a Super 1000 event, in which he successfully defended his title by overcoming opponents Weng Hongyang, Wang Tzu-wei, Chou Tien-chen, and the second-seeded local favorite Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. Notably, Axelsen achieved these victories without dropping a single game.
Moving to July, Axelsen secured a significant victory by winning the European Games men's singles title for the first time. In the final, he triumphed over the fifth-seeded Christo Popov after a three-game battle. Due to fatigue, Axelsen opted to withdraw from the Canada Open.[56] Nonetheless, he continued his winning streak by claiming victory in the Japan Open, a Super 750 event. Axelsen achieved this feat by defeating opponents Lin Chun-yi, Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo, Prannoy H. S., Kodai Naraoka, and the fifth-seeded Jonatan Christie.
Entering the world championship as the top seed and defending champion, Axelsen experienced an unexpected loss to the ninth seed Prannoy H. S. in the quarter-finals. Subsequently, in September, he secured his maiden China Open title, marking his third Super 1000 title of the year. The victory came in a 2-0 win over the host nation opponent, Lu Guangzu, in the finals. Axelsen strategically withdrew from the Artic Open to preserve his energy for the Denmark Open, held in his birthplace city, Odense. Despite advancing to the second round and defeating Magnus Johannesen, he retired from the tournament.
In the French Open, Axelsen faced another setback, retiring prematurely in the first round against Ng Ka Long due to injury. Facing potential ineligibility for the World Tour Finals due to recurring injuries and retirements throughout the year, Axelsen made a comeback in November, clinching the inaugural Japan Masters title by defeating Shi Yuqi in the final. This Super 500 tournament featured the participation of all top 10 players, and Axelsen's victory propelled him to the fifth position in the race to the World Tour Finals, securing his eligibility for the event.
During the World Tour Finals, Axelsen finished second in the group stage with a single loss to Shi Yuqi. In the semi-finals, he comfortably defeated his compatriot Anders Antonsen in two games. Advancing to the final, Axelsen faced Shi Yuqi once again, overcoming an earlier defeat and the strong support of the host nation for his opponent. In a remarkable achievement, Axelsen secured his third consecutive World Tour Finals title, a feat previously accomplished only by Lee Chong Wei. The notable win at the World Tour Finals secured Axeksen a record prize of US$200,000. This propelled him ahead of the accomplished An Se-young to claim the top spot as the highest prize money earner on the circuit for the year for the second time in a row, amassing a total of US$645,095, more than any other player earning in a single year.[57]
2024 edit
Participating in the inaugural tournament of the season Malaysia Open, Axelsen advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Loh Kean Yew, Lee Cheuk Yiu, Ng Ka Long, respectively. In the semi-finals, he lost to Shi Yuqi after three games despite an early lead of 5-1 in the final game, therefore failing to defend his championship.
Personal life edit
In addition to his native Danish, Axelsen is also a fluent speaker of English and Mandarin, giving himself a Chinese name of 安賽龍.[58]
In August 2021 Axelsen decided to leave the Danish national team in Copenhagen and move with his family from Denmark to Dubai. There he could train at the NAS Sports Complex (Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex).[59] Axelsen himself stated several reasons for the move to Dubai; for instance shorter travel time to most events in Asia, which allows him more remaining time to rest or warm-up. Another reason was the health factor since he suffers from asthma and acute rhinitis. This makes it more comfortable in Asia than in Europe, especially Denmark, which tends to be cooler and where his allergy can be triggered faster by things such as flower pollen, dust, or animal dander. And the other reason is the family factor. Axelsen wants to have more time with his family.[60]
Axelsen's girlfriend, Natalia Koch Rohde, gave birth to a baby girl named Vega Rohde Axelsen on 15 October 2020.[61][62] On 7 October 2022, she gave birth to her second baby girl named Aya Rohde Axelsen.[63] Her father Henrik Rohde, who was headcoach of the winning Skovshoved team in the Danish league in 2017, since moving to Dubai, is also helping with the coaching of her husband Viktor Axelsen.[64]
Achievements edit
Olympic Games edit
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Riocentro – Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Lin Dan
|
15–21, 21–10, 21–17 |  Bronze
|
| 2020 | Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Tokyo, Japan | Chen Long
|
21–15, 21–12 |  Gold
|
BWF World Championships edit
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Ballerup Super Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark |  Lee Chong Wei
|
9–21, 7–21 |  Bronze
|
| 2017 | Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Lin Dan
|
22–20, 21–16 |  Gold
|
| 2022 | Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan |  Kunlavut Vitidsarn
|
21–5, 21–16 | Gold
|
European Games edit
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Arena Jaskółka, Tarnów, Poland |  Christo Popov
|
16–21, 21–16, 21–11 | Gold
|
European Championships edit
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Telenor Arena, Karlskrona, Sweden |  Henri Hurskainen
|
21–18, 18–21, 17–21 | Bronze
|
| 2014 | Gymnastics Center, Kazan, Russia |  Jan Ø. Jørgensen
|
11–21, 13–21 | Bronze
|
| 2016 | Vendéspace, La Roche-sur-Yon, France | Jan Ø. Jørgensen
|
21–11, 21–16 | Gold
|
| 2017 | Sydbank Arena, Kolding, Denmark | Anders Antonsen
|
17–21, 16–21 | Bronze
|
| 2018 | Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Huelva, Spain |  Rajiv Ouseph
|
21–8, 21–7 | Gold
|
| 2021 | Palace of Sports, Kyiv, Ukraine | Anders Antonsen
|
Walkover |  Silver
|
| 2022 | Polideportivo Municipal Gallur, Madrid, Spain | Anders Antonsen
|
21–17, 21–15 | Gold
|
| 2024 | Saarlandhalle, Saarbrücken, Germany | Toma Junior Popov
|
19–21, 21–17, 9–21 | Bronze
|
BWF World Junior Championships edit
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Domo del Code Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico |  Kang Ji-Wook
|
21–19, 21–10 | Gold
|
| 2011 | Taoyuan Arena, Taoyuan City, Taipei, Taiwan | Zulfadli Zulkiffli
|
18–21, 21–9, 19–21 | Silver
|
European Junior Championships edit
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Energia Areena, Vantaa, Finland | Rasmus Fladberg
|
21–8, 17–21, 21–13 | Gold
|
BWF World Tour (23 titles, 6 runners-up) edit
The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[65] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[66]
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Malaysia Masters | Super 500 |  Kenta Nishimoto
|
21–13, 21–23, 21–18 |  Winner
|
| 2018 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | Kento Momota
|
14–21, 9–21 |  Runner-up
|
| 2019 | Spain Masters | Super 300 | Anders Antonsen
|
21–14, 21–11 | Winner
|
| 2019 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Kento Momota
|
11–21, 21–15, 15–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2019 | India Open | Super 500 |  Srikanth Kidambi
|
21–7, 22–20 | Winner
|
| 2020 | Malaysia Masters | Super 500 | Kento Momota
|
22–24, 11–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2020 | Spain Masters | Super 300 | Kunlavut Vitidsarn
|
21–16, 21–13 | Winner
|
| 2020 | All England Open | Super 1000 |  Chou Tien-chen
|
21–13, 21–14 | Winner
|
| 2020 (I) | Thailand Open | Super 1000 |  Ng Ka Long
|
21–14, 21–14 | Winner
|
| 2020 (II) | Thailand Open | Super 1000 | Hans-Kristian Vittinghus
|
21–11, 21–7 | Winner
|
| 2020 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals | Anders Antonsen
|
16–21, 21–5, 17–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2021 | Swiss Open | Super 300 | Kunlavut Vitidsarn
|
21–16, 21–6 | Winner
|
| 2021 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Lee Zii Jia
|
29–30, 22–20, 9–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2021 | Denmark Open | Super 1000 | Kento Momota
|
20–22, 21–18, 21–12 | Winner
|
| 2021 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 |  Loh Kean Yew
|
21–13, 9–21, 21–13 | Winner
|
| 2021 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals | Kunlavut Vitidsarn
|
21–12, 21–8 | Winner
|
| 2022 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Lakshya Sen
|
21–10, 21–15 | Winner
|
| 2022 | Indonesia Masters | Super 500 | Chou Tien-chen
|
21–10, 21–12 | Winner
|
| 2022 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | Zhao Junpeng
|
21–9, 21–10 | Winner
|
| 2022 | Malaysia Open | Super 750 | Kento Momota
|
21–4, 21–7 | Winner
|
| 2022 | French Open | Super 750 | Rasmus Gemke
|
21–14, 21–15 | Winner
|
| 2022 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals |  Anthony Sinisuka Ginting
|
21–13, 21–14 | Winner
|
| 2023 | Malaysia Open | Super 1000 | Kodai Naraoka
|
21–6, 21–15 | Winner
|
| 2023 | India Open | Super 750 | Kunlavut Vitidsarn
|
20–22, 21–10, 12–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2023 | Indonesia Open | Super 1000 | Anthony Sinisuka Ginting
|
21–14, 21–13 | Winner
|
| 2023 | Japan Open | Super 750 | Jonatan Christie
|
21–7, 21–18 | Winner
|
| 2023 | China Open | Super 1000 | Lu Guangzu
|
21–16, 21–19 | Winner
|
| 2023 | Japan Masters | Super 500 | Shi Yuqi
|
22–20, 21–17 | Winner
|
| 2023 | BWF World Tour Finals | World Tour Finals | Shi Yuqi
|
21–11, 21–12 | Winner
|
BWF Superseries (4 titles, 7 runners-up) edit
The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,[67] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011.[68] Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | French Open | Liew Daren
|
18–21, 17–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2015 | India Open | Srikanth Kidambi
|
21–18, 13–21, 12–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2015 | Australian Open | Chen Long
|
12–21, 21–14, 18–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2015 | Japan Open | Lin Dan
|
19–21, 21–16, 19–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2015 | Dubai World Superseries Finals | Kento Momota
|
15–21, 12–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2016 | India Open | Kento Momota
|
15–21, 18–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2016 | Dubai World Superseries Finals | Tian Houwei
|
21–14, 6–21, 21–17 | Winner
|
| 2017 | India Open | Chou Tien-chen
|
21–13, 21–10 | Winner
|
| 2017 | Japan Open | Lee Chong Wei
|
21–14, 19–21, 21–14 | Winner
|
| 2017 | China Open | Chen Long
|
16–21, 21–14, 13–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2017 | Dubai World Superseries Finals | Lee Chong Wei
|
19–21, 21–19, 21–15 | Winner
|
- Superseries Finals tournament
- Superseries Premier tournament
- Superseries tournament
BWF Grand Prix (1 title, 1 runner-up) edit
The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Swiss Open | Tian Houwei
|
21–7, 16–21, 25–23 | Winner
|
| 2015 | Swiss Open | Srikanth Kidambi
|
15-21, 21-12, 14-21 | Runner-up
|
- BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
- BWF Grand Prix tournament
BWF International Challenge/Series (4 titles, 2 runners-up) edit
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Swedish International Stockholm | Indra Bagus Ade Chandra
|
15–21, 12–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2010 | Cyprus International |  Simon Maunoury
|
21–10, 21–11 | Winner
|
| 2011 | Swedish International Stockholm |  Pablo Abián
|
19–21, 6–21 | Runner-up
|
| 2011 | Spanish Open | Pablo Abián
|
21–11, 7–21, 21–9 | Winner
|
| 2013 | Dutch International |  Eric Pang
|
24–22, 21–12 | Winner
|
| 2013 | Denmark International |  Ville Lång
|
21–17, 21–8 | Winner
|
- BWF International Challenge tournament
- BWF International Series tournament
Performance timeline edit
- Key
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | G | S | B | NH | N/A | DNQ |
National team edit
- Junior level
| Team events | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| European Junior Championships | NH | B |
| World Junior Championships | 6th | A |
- Senior level
| Team events | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Men's Team Championships | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | ||
| European Mixed Team Championships | NH | S | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH | G | NH |
| Thomas Cup | B | NH | QF | NH | G | NH | B | NH | B | NH | B | NH | Q |
| Sudirman Cup | NH | B | NH | QF | NH | QF | NH | QF | NH | QF | NH | QF | NH |
Individual competitions edit
- Junior level
| Events | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Junior Championships | NH | G | NH |
| World Junior Championships | G | S | QF |
- Senior level
| Events | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Championships | B | NH | B | NH | G | B | G | NH | S | G | NH | B | |
| European Games | NH | A | NH | w/d | NH | G | NH | ||||||
| World Championships | NH | 2R | B | QF | NH | G | QF | A | NH | 1R | G | QF | NH |
| Olympic Games | DNQ | NH | B | NH | G | NH | Q | ||||||
| Tournament | BWF Superseries / Grand Prix | BWF World Tour | Best | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Malaysia Open | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | 2R | QF | QF | NH | W | W | SF | W ('22, '23) | |||
| India Open | A | QF | F | F | W | w/d | W | NH | A | F | w/d | W ('17, '19) | |||||
| Indonesia Masters | A | NH | 2R | SF | SF | 2R | W | w/d | A | W ('22) | |||||||
| German Open | A | 2R | 2R | QF | A | 1R | A | NH | SF | A | SF ('22) | ||||||
| All England Open | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | QF | w/d | F | W | F | W | 2R | QF | W ('20, '22) | ||
| Swiss Open | A | 2R | QF | 2R | W | F | A | w/d | NH | W | 2R | SF | A | W ('14, '21) | |||
| Spain Masters | NH | A | W | W | A | NH | A | W ('19, '20) | |||||||||
| Malaysia Masters | A | W | SF | F | NH | w/d | w/d | W ('18) | |||||||||
| Thailand Open | A | NH | 1R | A | NH | A | W | NH | 2R | A | W ('20 I, '20 II) | ||||||
| W | |||||||||||||||||
| Singapore Open | A | QF | SF | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | SF | NH | w/d | w/d | SF ('12, '19) | |||
| Indonesia Open | A | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | F | w/d | NH | W | W | W | W ('21, '22, '23) | |||
| Chinese Taipei Open | A | QF | A | NH | A | QF ('13) | |||||||||||
| Canada Open | NH | A | NH | A | w/d | — | |||||||||||
| Korea Open | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | w/d | w/d | 2R | 2R | NH | A | 2R ('13, '18, '19) | ||||||
| Japan Open | A | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | F | QF | W | SF | w/d | NH | w/d | W | W ('17, '23) | |||
| Australian Open | A | 1R | F | w/d | w/d | A | NH | A | F ('15) | ||||||||
| China Open | A | Q1 | A | 1R | 2R | QF | SF | F | 2R | 1R | NH | W | W ('23) | ||||
| Hong Kong Open | A | 2R | 2R | 2R | QF | 1R | A | w/d | A | QF | NH | 1R | QF ('14, '19) | ||||
| Arctic Open | N/A | NH | N/A | NH | w/d | — | |||||||||||
| Denmark Open | Q1 (MD) | 2R | QF | 1R | 2R | 1R | SF | 2R | QF | 2R | SF | A | W | QF | 2R | W ('21) | |
| French Open | A | 1R | A | F | 1R | QF | 2R | 2R | w/d | w/d | SF | NH | 1R | W | 1R | 2R | W ('22) |
| Hylo Open | A | 1R | A | w/d | A | 1R ('10) | |||||||||||
| Japan Masters | NH | W | W ('23) | ||||||||||||||
| China Masters | A | 1R | 1R | A | w/d | QF | NH | w/d | QF ('19) | ||||||||
| Syed Modi International | A | NH | A | SF | A | NH | A | SF ('15) | |||||||||
| BWF Superseries / World Tour Finals |
DNQ | F | W | W | DNQ | RR | F | W | W | W | W ('16, '17, '21, '22, '23) | ||||||
| Dutch Open | A | QF | A | NH | N/A | QF ('10) | |||||||||||
| London Grand Prix Gold | NH | SF | NH | SF ('13) | |||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | 66 | 35 | 27 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Best |
Career overview edit
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Record against selected opponents edit
Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 27 March 2024.[69]
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References edit
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- ^ "Viktor Axelsen | Profile". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Badminton World Championships: Viktor Axelsen beats Lin Dan to win singles gold". BBC. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Sachetat, Raphaël (25 April 2010). "World Juniors – Axelsen creates history". Badzine. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Leer Scharnberg, Martin (30 April 2022). "Axelsen vinder EM i rendyrket dansk finale" [Axelsen wins the EC in a purely Danish final] (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Players: Viktor Axelsen". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Viktor Axelsen" (in Danish). Fyens Stiftstidende. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Dānmài yǔqiú xīnxīng: Xué běijīng qiāng jiāngjìn liǎng nián ǒuxiàng shì líndān" 丹麦羽球新星：学北京腔将近两年 偶像是林丹 [Danish badminton star: Learning Beijing accent for nearly two years, idol is Lin Dan]. chinanews.com (in Chinese). 19 October 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ a b Stockholm, Frank. "Stor i slaget Viktor Axelsen saetter sin serv som han vil" [Big in the game Viktor Axelsen sets his serve as he wants]. udogse.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ a b Sukumar, Dev (3 May 2010). "Players – Axelsen – Hope springs anew for Denmark". Badzine.net. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Bendix, Lasr (24 January 2010). "Gennembrud for fynsk badminton-es" (in Danish). Fyens Stiftstidende. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Sachetat, Raphael (17 October 2010). "Cyprus Int'l – Axelsen is "Just too strong"". Badzine.net. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Vandevorst, Elm (1 November 2010). "Denmark Open 2010 Finals – Jorgensen's First". Badzine.net. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Zápasy o titul mistra Evropy". Český badmintonový svaz. 24 April 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen var sølle tre bolde fra at vinde ungdoms-VM" (in Danish). Politiken. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Røsler, Manuel (28 October 2012). "Strong European performances in Paris". Badminton Europe. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Nielsen, Erik (20 April 2012). "Axelsen ude af EM" (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Røsler, Manuel (17 March 2014). "Adcocks and Axelsen triumph at Swiss Open". Badminton Europe. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ a b Vording, Frederik Alexander (28 August 2017). "Verdensmesteren kommer hjem: Her kan du hylde Viktor" (in Danish). TV 2 Lorry. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen (DEN)". www.yonex.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ Pavitt, Michael (14 February 2015). "Denmark and England win thrillers to reach final of European Mixed Team Badminton Championships". Inside the Games. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ Røsler, Manuel; Phelan, Mark (16 February 2015). "Denmark claim 15th title". Badminton Europe. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ Liew, Vincent (15 May 2015). "Sudirman Cup: Japan eliminates Denmark 3–2". Badminton Planet. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ BWF. "Lin's head-to-head record against other players". TournamentSoftware.com. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
- ^ Agence France-Presse (24 September 2017). "Viktor Axelsen wins first Japan Open title". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ "Axelsen shut out of semifinals at 2018 BWF World Championships". www.xinhuanet.com. 3 August 2018. Archived from the original on January 23, 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ Rahmani, Nadhira (18 January 2020). "INDONESIA MASTERS SF – Antonsen in hunt for repeat title". www.badzine.net. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Busk Stie, Hans-Henrik (23 February 2020). "Viktor Axelsen vinder Spain Masters for andet år i træk". sport.tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Raftery, Alan (15 March 2020). "Viktor Axelsen is the All England champion: It is a dream come true!". www.badmintoneurope.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- ^ Houston, Michael (15 February 2021). "Denmark to defend European Badminton Mixed Team title in Finland". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ Palar, Sanjeev (21 March 2021). "As it happened – 2021 All England Open, Day 5: Lee Zii Jia takes maiden title as Okuhara Nozomi helps Japan sweep four of five titles on offer". Olympic Channel. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ Berkeley, Geoff (2 May 2021). "Two European Badminton Championships finals cancelled and Axelsen among those with COVID-19". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen detroniserer kineser og tager OL-guld". Berlingske. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Goh, ZK (24 October 2021). "Viktor Axelsen triumphs over Momota Kento at Denmark Open in Odense". Olympics. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Danish ace Axelsen clinches men's singles title at Indonesia Open". The Jakarta Post. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "Cool! Momota's World Ranking Shifted By Axelsen". Voi - Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. 1 December 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ "BWF Player of the Year Award Winners 2020/2021". Badminton World Federation. 3 December 2021. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "The final curtains come down on the Indonesia Badminton Festival". Yonex. 6 December 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Lee, David (14 December 2021). "Badminton: Singapore's Loh Kean Yew stuns top-ranked Viktor Axelsen at World Championships". The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "BWF – BWF World Rankings – Overview".
- ^ "Lakshya Sen beats world No 1 Viktor Axelsen". scroll.in. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Lakshya Sen stuns Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen enters German Open final". indiatimes.com. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "All England Open 2022 Finals Highlights: Viktor Axelsen defeats Lakshya Sen 21–10, 21–15". The Indian Express. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Askman, Rasmus (30 April 2022). "Viktor Axelsen slår Anders Antonsen i EM-finalen" (in Danish). DR. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "Anders Antonsen er 'stiktosset' over eget spil i EM-finalen mod Axelsen | Seneste sport". DR (in Danish). 30 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
- ^ AFP (3 July 2022). "Kento Momota thrashed by Viktor Axelsen in Malaysia final". Times of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Anil, Nicolas (4 July 2022). "Zii Jia expected to miss Malaysia Masters as Axelsen confirms withdrawal". Stadium Mastro. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Lee, David (5 July 2022). "Badminton: Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen withdraws from Singapore Open". The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Badminton: Axelsen aims higher after claiming second badminton world title". The Straits Times. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ Kjærsgaard, Jonas (21 October 2022). "Axelsen i chokerende exit – TV 2". TV 2 Sport (in Danish). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ Lee, David (22 October 2022). "Badminton: Loh Kean Yew stuns Viktor Axelsen to reach Denmark Open s-finals". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ Kjærsgaard, Jonas (21 October 2022). "- En pinlig indsats af mig, siger Axelsen – TV 2". TV 2 Sport (in Danish). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ "AXELSEN, ZHENG AND HUANG REWARDED FOR STELLAR SEASONS". bwfbadminton.com. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "Denmark out, Axelsen injured". badmintoneurope.com. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen slams BWF over $5000 fine, says shuttlers not getting prize money in time". indianexpress.com. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen withdraws from BWF Canada Open 2023". khelnow.com. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "AXELSEN TOPS PRIZE MONEY LIST". bwfbadminton.com. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "Danish Badminton Player Speaks Chinese During Olympics (English + Chinese subs 中英字幕)". youtube.com. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ "Axelsen has moved to Dubai, No longer part of the Danish National team in Copenhagen". 360badminton.com. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen move to UAE". Voi.id. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ Asferg, Mikkel (16 October 2020). "Viktor Axelsen er blevet far". sport.tv2.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ Kattige, Medha. "Viktor Axelsen blessed with a baby girl".
- ^ "Axelson proud dad again". NewStraitsTime. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ "Who will sit in Axelsens coaching chair today". NewStraitsTime. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "BWF Launches Super Series". Badminton Australia. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007.
- ^ "Yonex All England Elevated To BWF Premier Super Series Event". IBadmintonstore. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "Viktor Axelsen Head to Head". BWF-Tournament Software. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
External links edit
- Viktor AXELSEN at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com
- Viktor AXELSEN at BWFbadminton.com
- Official website (in English)
- Profile at BadmintonEurope.com