Monday, 29 Apr 2024

News | BWF World Tour

It was a crucial game for local hero Viktor Axelsen. With a challenging opponent and tricky conditions, he had the perfect opportunity to gauge his progress and showcase his skills. His victory over Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto at the DANISA Denmark Open 2019 may not have solidified his title chances, but it certainly demonstrated to his loyal fans in Odense that he is getting closer to reaching his elite form.

Over the past few months, Axelsen has faced numerous setbacks due to various injuries. Despite playing exceptional badminton earlier in the season and reaching the All England final, he had to confront allergies that prevented him from participating in the European Games. A subsequent back injury forced him to withdraw from the Indonesia Open and the Japan Open. The back injury further developed into a disc protrusion in the lower back, which ruled him out of the World Championships in Basel.

Today, however, Axelsen seemed to regain some confidence in his gameplay. Facing a formidable opponent like Nishimoto, the match turned into a captivating cat-and-mouse game. The drift played a significant role, but Axelsen managed to find the answers and take control, leading 16-12 in the second set. Although there was a slight hiccup towards the end with four consecutive points dropped, he sealed the victory with his signature smash, celebrating with a double fist pump and a scream.

Axelsen expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, “It’s been a challenging year for me, but now I’m just looking ahead. I’m really happy that I managed to progress further in this tournament. I believe I played at a high level at times, so I’m quite pleased with that.” He acknowledged the tough competition Nishimoto presented and anticipated more exciting matches in the future. Axelsen also commended his ability to control the tricky drift and expressed his joy in winning the match in straight sets.

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In other results, Denmark’s Anders Antonsen delighted the crowd with a comfortable victory over former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth. However, the Danish fans were disappointed when top women’s singles player Mia Blichfeldt withdrew from her match against Ratchanok Intanon due to lower back pain.

Additionally, there were surprising first-round defeats for Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei and Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, both contenders for a spot in the season-ending finals in Guangzhou. Wang lost to Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab in a closely contested match, while Lee fell to China’s Olympic champion Chen Long in a thrilling three-set battle.

In men’s doubles, the brother duo of Phillip and Ryan Chew secured their second win on the HSBC BWF World Tour this year with an impressive victory over China’s Ou Xuan Yi and Zhang Nan.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Michelle Li dominated her match against Yvonne Li of Germany, setting up a second-round encounter against world No.1 Tai Tzu Ying. Tai proved too strong for Thailand’s Nitchaon Jindapol, securing a convincing victory.

FAQs

1. Who did Viktor Axelsen defeat at the DANISA Denmark Open 2019?

Viktor Axelsen defeated Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto at the DANISA Denmark Open 2019.

2. What injury did Axelsen face earlier in the season?

Axelsen faced a back injury earlier in the season, which eventually developed into a disc protrusion in the lower back.

3. Who did Anders Antonsen defeat in his match?

Anders Antonsen defeated former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth in his match.

4. Who withdrew from the match against Ratchanok Intanon?

Mia Blichfeldt withdrew from her match against Ratchanok Intanon due to lower back pain.

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5. Which players suffered first-round defeats in the tournament?

Wang Tzu Wei from Chinese Taipei and Lee Zii Jia from Malaysia suffered first-round defeats in the tournament.

Despite the challenges faced by Viktor Axelsen, he showcased his determination and progress at the DANISA Denmark Open 2019. With a victory over Kenta Nishimoto, Axelsen proved that he is on the right path towards regaining his elite form. The tournament witnessed other exciting matches, including Anders Antonsen’s impressive win and unexpected defeats for Wang Tzu Wei and Lee Zii Jia. As the competition continues, fans eagerly anticipate more thrilling badminton action at the BWF World Tour.