PETALING JAYA: Despite facing challenges in maintaining his dominance in men’s singles badminton, Viktor Axelsen showcased his enduring prowess by clinching the Indian Open championship.
The Danish shuttler, who held the world No. 1 spot last year, recently dropped to No. 5 due to injury setbacks. However, he demonstrated his resilience by defeating Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu, ranked 20th globally, with a commanding score of 21-16, 21-8 in the final held at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Sunday.
This victory marked Axelsen’s third Indian Open title in six finals appearances. He previously triumphed in 2017 and 2019, while finishing as the runner-up in 2015, 2016, and 2023.
On his path to the championship, Axelsen faced tough competition, including grueling three-game battles against Taiwan’s Chi Yu-jen, Singapore’s 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew, and Indonesia’s world No. 3 Jonatan Christie. Yet, he consistently found a way to prevail.
This win marked his first title since securing the Hong Kong Open in September last year.
Axelsen, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, admitted to struggling with motivation following his second Olympic victory in Paris last August, largely due to persistent injuries. Though, he expressed joy at rediscovering his competitive edge.
“I didn’t truly enjoy the final until I secured the last point.I had to stay focused on every single rally,even when I was leading comfortably. Mentally,it felt like I was playing catch-up,” Axelsen shared with the Badminton World federation (BWF).
“This week has been a rollercoaster mentally and in terms of my gameplay. To deliver a performance like this, given my current state, is incredibly positive.
“I barely slept, maybe four to five hours a night. But I had a great physio session, shared laughs over breakfast, and tried to relax as much as possible. I just focused on preparing my body for the challenge.
“Winning this title feels special because everything felt different this time—my preparation, my mindset on court. I’m starting to feel that motivation returning.
“This week, I felt like a true competitor again. Since the Olympics, injuries have been a constant hurdle, affecting my drive. So, standing here with this title means a lot,” Axelsen added.
Conversely, Lee Cheuk Yiu faced another runner-up finish, having also lost to China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the previous year’s edition of the tournament.
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