[Saba Sports News] On April 15, Viktor Axelsen, the 32-year-old Danish badminton star, former world No.1 and two-time Olympic men’s singles gold medallist, announced his official retirement via social media, ending an 18-year career as a professional player. Axelsen revealed that even in retirement, he will never leave badminton, but will stay involved in a different role, supporting the sport from beside the court.In 2021, Axelsen defeated defending champion Chen Long in the men’s singles final at the Tokyo Olympics to claim his first Olympic gold medal. Then at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he overcame a back injury to successfully defend his title, becoming only the second player after Lin Dan to win back-to-back Olympic badminton men’s singles titles, establishing himself as the leading figure in men’s singles in the post-Lin Dan era.After the Paris Olympics, Axelsen had expressed his ambition to pursue a third consecutive Olympic title. However, in the later stage of his career, he was plagued by persistent back problems, forcing him to withdraw from several BWF World Tour events over the past two seasons. Despite receiving treatment, the recurring injury made it impossible for him to endure high-intensity training and competition. Faced with a choice between his career and long-term health, he ultimately decided to retire with regret.
In my opinion, although Viktor Axelsen’s career ended early due to injury, his two Olympic gold medals, double career Grand Slam, and profound influence on the sport of badminton have firmly established him as the second-greatest men’s singles player in badminton history, behind only Lin Dan. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of players.