Viktor Axelsen

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.

He was named the 2004 Player of the Year by the Odense badminton club.

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.

He later emerged victorious at the 2009 German Junior and also at the European U17 Championships.

He made his debut in the senior international tournament at the 2009 Denmark Open playing in the men's doubles event with Steffen Rasmussen.

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.

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.

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.

In October, he claimed his first international senior title at the age of just sixteen, winning the Cyprus International.

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.

In 2011, Axelsen secured gold at the European Junior Championships, defeating teammate Rasmus Fladberg 21–8, 17–21, 21–13 in the final.

He took a silver medal at the 2011 BWF World Junior Championships, losing the title to Malaysia's Zulfadli Zulkiffli, coming in second place.

In early 2012, Axelsen moved to Valby, in Copenhagen, and started training at Brøndby elite center.

Axelsen finished runner-up at the French Open in Paris, losing in the final to Liew Daren 18–21, 17–21.

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.

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.

Axelsen won a bronze medal at the 2014 BWF World Championships and also a bronze medal again at the 2014 European Championships.

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.

Axelsen featured in Denmark's winning team at the European Mixed Team Championships in Leuven, Belgium.

At the Sudirman Cup, the team finished in the quarter finals lost 2–3 to Japanese team, where he played in the second matches.

He ended the 2015 season ranked as world number 6.

Axelsen is a three-time European champion, having won the title in 2016, 2018 and 2022.

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.

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.

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.

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.

He is a two-time World Championship gold medalist, defeating Lin Dan in 2017 final and Kunlavut Vitidsarn in 2022 final.

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).

Axelsen, with a record of 4–3, is the only top twenty player to hold a winning record against Lin Dan, head-to-head.

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.

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.

He is also the reigning Olympic Champion, having won at the 2020 event.