Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen may have dominated the BWF World Championships and dethroned Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, but the pair of best buddies is boldly changing their sport for the better, observes Jan Lin Lee.
In the 2021 edition, 25-year-old Loh upset Axelsen in three games in the first round enroute to28-year-old Viktor Axelsen has always stood head and shoulders above his peers, since he caught the badminton world’s attention for becoming the first European to become the World Junior Champion in 2010 at just 16 years old.
Loh and Axelsen’s “bromance” brought a fresh wave of intrigue to both badminton fans and media. Can sporting rivals really be best buddies?Danish tennis star Carolina Wozniacki’s “sisterhood” with Serena Williams is as prominent as their on-court rivalry. Williams, known to be fiercely competitive, was even the Dane’s bridesmaid when Wozniacki tied the knot in 2019.
The disruption started in 2021, when Axelsen announced he was leaving the Danish badminton team’s training base to train independently in Dubai. It was an unprecedented – even controversial – move that drew mixed reactions in Denmark. The absence of sparring partners in Dubai was why Axelsen got creative with his own globalised “team”. The Dane invited folks based mostly on their “vibe”, for a good time and a good challenge., with blessings from the Singapore Badminton Association.
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