https://www.scmp.com/rss/524591/feed The latest news and top stories on Viktor Axelsen, a Danish professional badminton player. Known for his exceptional skill and strategic gameplay, he is a two-time World Champion and four-time European Champion. He has held the world number one ranking for 183 weeks and is the first European to win the World Junior Championships. Axelsen has secured numerous BWF World Tour titles and is recognised for his dedication to the sport. He recently underwent back surgery but is expected to return for... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse Denmark’s double Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen announced his retirement at 32 on Wednesday, saying back problems meant he could no longer “compete and train at the highest level”. Axelsen, who won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and again in Paris in 2024, had back surgery in April last year and said he had not managed to overcome his physical issues. “Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult,” he said in a statement. “But I have now reached a point where my body won’t... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350144/double-olympic-badminton-champion-viktor-axelsen-retires-32-over-back-issues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3350144/double-olympic-badminton-champion-viktor-axelsen-retires-32-over-back-issues?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:15:42 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Victor Lai Ho-chun was brought crashing back down to Earth with a bump on Tuesday, losing in the qualifying rounds of the Li-Ning Hong Kong Open. Less than 10 days after claiming bronze at the Badminton World Championships, the Canadian, whose parents are from Hong Kong, was stunned 21-12, 21-15 by Hongkonger and world No 40 Jason Gunawan at the Coliseum. Gunawan beat Indonesia’s Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah in the first qualifying round 21-15, 21-13 before knocking out Lai. He will face Alwi Farhan... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3324899/hong-kong-open-jason-gunawan-stuns-victor-lai-badminton-qualifiers-faces-farhan-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3324899/hong-kong-open-jason-gunawan-stuns-victor-lai-badminton-qualifiers-faces-farhan-next?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:31:01 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Organisers of the Li-Ning Hong Kong Open have staged a coup by persuading double badminton Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen to defend his title when the tournament returns next month. Last year, in his first competition after claiming his second straight Olympic gold in Paris, Denmark’s Axelsen broke his Hong Kong duck by beating China’s Lei Lanxi in a one-sided final. For this year’s event, set for Hong Kong Coliseum from September 9 to 14, Axelsen will be joined in a loaded men’s draw by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3320849/double-olympic-champion-viktor-axelsen-set-chase-record-hong-kong-open-jackpot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3320849/double-olympic-champion-viktor-axelsen-set-chase-record-hong-kong-open-jackpot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:00:07 +0000