Source:Sipa USA/SOPA Images
[Saba Sports News] Two-time Olympic men’s singles badminton champion Viktor Axelsen revealed in an interview that he had originally planned to retire at last week’s Denmark Open held in his home country. However, matches against Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Shi Yuqi reinforced his confidence to continue playing and strive for the miracle of a third consecutive Olympic gold medal. Due to a herniated disc, Axelsen underwent surgery in April, leading many fans to believe the 31-year-old Danish superstar had fallen from the world’s top tier and was no longer competitive. After defeating Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the Olympic and World Championships silver medalist, at the Denmark Open, Axelsen cried. He said he once felt his career was down to its final match: “My career doesn’t depend on a single match, but somehow it really did. It made me believe I can compete with the best.” First beating Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and then going the full three games with the newly crowned world champion Shi Yuqi, Axelsen became convinced he can still compete against the world’s top players. Both the joy of defeating Kunlavut and the frustration of losing to Shi Yuqi (and the ensuing argument) reignited Axelsen’s desire to aim for the miracle of a third Olympic gold, awakening his fierce competitiveness and fighting spirit.