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Mike Chan

Viktor Axelsen reflected on what he called an “extraordinary” year after he wrote his name into the history books at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou.
The Dane swept his Chinese counterpart Shi Yuqi in straight games in the final on Sunday, making him the first player ever to land five men’s singles titles at the year-end tournament, having previously shared the best tally with the now retired Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei.
Axelsen had been on the losing end of a group-phase match against Shi last Wednesday, but it was a different story on the final day of the tournament at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Expo Centre.
The Olympic champion dominated from start to finish in a one-sided final that he won 21-11, 21-12, bringing the contest to an end to seal his third straight title in just 49 minutes.

“I’m extremely proud and tired,” world No 1 Axelsen, who speaks fluent Mandarin, said. “I can’t believe that I won, this means a lot to me.
“My year has been extraordinary,” he added, as he recalled defeats in the All England Open and the World Championships on home soil.
“It has also been marked by big disappointments. But a great sportsman gets up and recovers from disappointing experiences. And that’s what I managed to do. I’ve won some big titles, so I can’t be disappointed with this year.”
The women’s singles final, however, was far from being a straightforward encounter.
Carolina Marin of Spain took on Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying, with the two of them boasting 11 wins apiece in their 22 past career meetings. Marin, who was seeking her first year-end title, wasted no time in taking the opening game 21-12.
Tai, who has been working back to fitness after a leg injury, then bounced back in the next, taking it 21-14, before edging the subsequent decider 21-18 to secure her fourth season finale title in seven appearances.
“I attribute my performance to my good mindset,” said the 29-year-old, who plans to retire after the Paris Olympics next year. “I didn’t have high expectations, because I have not fully recovered from my injury.
“I wasn’t able to train well before coming, so my preparation and performance here were not optimal.
“But when I saw the excellent form of Marin and Chen Yufei … I told myself I had to grit my teeth and do my best to be able to compete.”
The world No 4 had previously come out on top at the event in 2014, 2016 and 2020. With her latest crown, Tai has tied former Chinese player Li Lingwei, but still trails Susi Susanti of Indonesia, who won six titles between 1990 and 1996.
In the men’s doubles, Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea defeated China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-17, 22-20 to win their first title in nine years.
Indonesia’s Christie wins men’s Hong Kong Open badminton title, home duo lose
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China defended their women’s titles with a convincing 21-16, 21-16 win over South Korean duo Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee.
In an all-China mixed doubles final, world No 1 pair Zhang Siwei and Huang Yaqiong eased past compatriots Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 21-11, 21-18 to defend their crown, while also drawing level with Danish pair Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen by collecting their third title.


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Badminton World Federation (BWF)

Badminton World Tour Finals: Viktor Axelsen hails his ‘extraordinary’ year after denying China’s Shi Yuqi

Viktor Axelsen became the first man to win the World Tour Finals five times. Photo: Xinhua

Viktor Axelsen shakes hands with Shi Yuqi after winning the men’s final in Hangzhou. Photo: Xinhua

Badminton World Tour Finals: Hong Kong’s Tang and Tse in unprecedented early exit as shoulder curse strikes again

Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet are out after losing their second match. Photo: Dickson Lee

Tang (left) had sustained the injury during his and Tse’s previous match on Wednesday. Photo: Elson Li

Race to Paris Olympics badminton qualification to begin in China, as Viktor Axelsen claims second world title

Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen celebrates on the podium with his trophy and gold medal following his victory over Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in their men’s singles final at the BWF World Championships in Tokyo. Photo: AP

Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen plays a shot en route to beating Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Photo: Kyodo

Viktor Axelsen celebrates after winning his second world title in Tokyo. Photo: Xinhua

Viktor Axelsen plays a shot against Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the BWF World Championships final in Tokyo. Photo: Xinhua

Akane Yamaguchi of Japan poses with her gold medal alongside silver medallist Chen Yu Fei of China. Photo Kyodo

Chen Yufei of China reacts during the women’s singles final against Yamaguchi Akane. Photo: Xinhua

Chen Qingchen (left) and Jia Yifan of China play a shot against Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong of South Korea during their women’s doubles final at the World Badminton Championships in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

Viktor Axelsen, Tai Tzu Ying win Indonesia Open titles as BWF World Tour expansion revealed

Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen celebrates after defeating China’s Zhao Jun Peng in the Indonesia Open men’s singles final. Photo: AP

Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan (right) and opponent Wang Zhi Yi of China receive their prizes after Tai’s victory in the women’s singles final. Photo: EPA-EFE

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China

Other Sport

‘A great sportsman gets up and recovers from disappointing experiences. And that’s what I managed to do,’ the world No 1 says
Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan voices surprise at beating Carolina Marin to the women’s singles crown, saying her ‘preparation and performance here were not optimal’


‘A great sportsman gets up and recovers from disappointing experiences. And that’s what I managed to do,’ the world No 1 Viktor Axelsen says.
