(Xports News Reporter Kim Hyun-gi) The ‘Badminton Emperor’, who was the first to support and give strength to Ahn Se-young, does not know that she will recover from herniated lumbar disc.
He had a difficult time focusing on rehabilitation throughout this year, and missed two international competitions in a row in the early part of the new year, once again showing that his physical condition was not good.
Viktor Axelsen (Denmark), who won gold medals in badminton men’s singles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, will not participate in the Malaysia Open (Super 1000) and India Open (Super 750) held at the beginning of the new year.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced the participants for two competitions, including the 2026 Malaysia Open (January 6-11) and the 2026 India Open (January 13-18), on its website on the 10th, but Axelsen’s name was not listed. Chinese media ‘NetEase’ also said on the 10th, “The list of players participating in the two competitions has been updated, but Axelsen is missing. The injury appears to be serious.”
Axelsen, who is 205cm tall, became famous by defeating China and winning the second consecutive Olympic gold medal in badminton men’s singles. Axelsen, who defeated defending champion Chen Long 2-0 in the finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and climbed to the top of the podium, took advantage of the struggles of the first seed Switch (China) to be eliminated in the quarterfinals at last year’s Paris Olympics, winning all six games 2-0 and winning his second consecutive Olympic title.
However, after suffering a shock loss to Hong Kong’s Lin Chun-yi in the first round of the All England Open in March last year, Axelsen confessed that he was suffering from a lumbar disc and went to the operating table.
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He returned through the Hong Kong Open (Super 500) in September, but after losing to Switch in the final, he fought hard and attracted attention.
He began rehabilitation again by taking a break from the last two tournaments of last year, the Japan Masters and the Australian Open (Super 500), but concluded early on that he would miss the two games in the early part of the new year.
NetEase said, “Axelsen is expected to continue resting until the All England Open in March next year,” and “the possibility of retirement is also being discussed.”
Axelsen received applause from domestic badminton fans by saying, “I respect and support Ahn Se-young,” when Ahn Se-young made a whistleblower about her injury, treatment, and domestic badminton administration right after she won the women’s singles gold medal at last year’s Paris Olympics.
In 2023, Axelsen and Ahn Se-young swept the men’s singles and women’s singles international competitions, competing for prize money.
Photo = Yonhap News
Reporter Kim Hyun-ki spitfire@xportsnews.com
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