Viktor Axelsen

Viktor Axelsen, born on January 4, 1994, hails from Odense, Denmark. Introduced to badminton at the age of six by his father Henrik Axelsen, Viktor began playing at the Odense badminton club. Following his parents’ divorce, he resided with his father and eventually moved to Copenhagen when he turned 17 to join the national team. Henrik Axelsen, who previously ran a small advertising agency, devoted his time to managing his son’s career. Viktor’s mother, Gitte Lundager, owned a shop in central Odense that includes a hairdressing salon, cosmetics, and fashion clothing.

Viktor Axelsen’s journey in badminton began with notable victories in junior events, including the National junior event in both singles and doubles categories in 2006 and 2008. He continued to make his mark by winning the 2009 German Junior and the European U17 Championships. His breakthrough came at the World Junior Championships in 2010, where he emerged as the boys’ singles champion after defeating top-seeded players from China, India, and Korea. He won the gold medal at the 2011 European Junior Championships and claimed silver at the 2011 BWF World Junior Championships.

Axelsen’s senior international debut took place at the 2009 Denmark Open, and at the young age of sixteen, he secured his first senior title at the Cyprus International tournament. He clinched his first Grand Prix title at the 2014 Swiss Open and earned bronze medals at the 2014 BWF World Championships and European Championships. Axelsen finished as a runner-up in multiple Super Series events and qualified for prestigious competitions like the Super Series Finals.

He continued to soar at the international level. He won the European Championships in 2016 and played a vital role in Denmark’s historic Thomas Cup victory the same year. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he secured a bronze medal by defeating China’s Lin Dan. In 2017, Axelsen became the World Champion after a remarkable win against Lin Dan in the final. He has represented Denmark in various tournaments, including the Thomas and Uber Cup. He has been recognized as one of the few players to hold a winning record against Lin Dan.

Axelsen’s exceptional performances extended into subsequent years, with victories at prestigious events such as the All England Open, European Championships, and World Championships. He continued to dominate the badminton circuit, reclaiming the number one spot in the BWF World Ranking and earning recognition as the BWF Male Player of the Year. In 2022, Axelsen added more titles to his name, including the Malaysia Open and his third European Championship. He concluded the year with an impressive win at the World Tour Finals and solidified his status as the year-end number one player.