Source:REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
[Saba Sports News] Earlier, the men’s singles semi-finals of the 2025 Denmark Badminton Open featured a highly anticipated marquee match between the newly crowned World Champion and current world number one, Shi Yuqi, and the two-time Olympic champion, home favorite Viktor Axelsen. After a fierce three-game battle, Shi Yuqi ultimately defeated his opponent 2-1 to advance to the finals. This encounter was considered a de facto final ahead of schedule, with both players delivering high-level performances. During the match, some friction and verbal exchanges occurred, as both players were extremely eager to defeat the other and prove themselves, leading to a tense atmosphere on the court. Shi Yuqi won the first game 21-19, while Axelsen leveled the match by taking the second game 21-17. At the start of the deciding game, Shi Yuqi questioned Axelsen’s serve, believing that the latter’s preparation time was too long and that his body movement during the serve constituted a violation. Axelsen immediately refuted this, asserting that his serving action was within reasonable bounds. The on-duty referee did not rule Axelsen’s serve a fault but issued a reminder. The deciding game commenced in this mutually charged atmosphere. Shi Yuqi played steadily, while Axelsen, seemingly agitated, made frequent errors. Shi Yuqi seized the initiative, establishing leads of 6-1 and 11-6. As the game progressed into its middle and final stages, Axelsen desperately attempted risky shots to close the gap, but Shi Yuqi remained unflustered, firmly controlling the rhythm of the match, and eventually secured the deciding game 21-17. After the match concluded, the two players continued to exchange words across the net, with the sense that the atmosphere had not completely eased; they seemed to be talking past each other, neither willing to concede.