Viktor Axelsen defeated first-time finalist Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-5, 21-16 to win his second world badminton title. This victory highlighted his excellent form and self-assurance.
Axelsen, Yamaguchihas won 2nd badminton world titles
After not losing since March, Axelsen extended his winning streak to 37 games. After defeating Olympic champion Chen Yufei 21-12, 10-21, 21-14, Akane Yamaguchi won the women’s world title for the second time in a row. Unexpectedly, Yamaguchi did not win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics a year ago. However, she has since redeemed herself with two back-to-back world titles.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this emotional despite winning numerous championships, she claimed. By winning every match at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Axelsen added his second world championship to his first from 2017. As the favourite, Axelsen admitted that he was under a lot of pressure. Despite this, he managed to perform, and he was really pleased of himself. Starting the match off quickly, the Dane advanced to a 7-1 lead. Although Axelsen won the following nine points, Kunlavut had a 7-4 lead. He toughened up a little in the second game, which was back and forth until 11-11, but Axelsen understood Kunlavut’s strategy and surged away, won on his fifth match point.
Axelsen’s fall in the opening round of the world championships in December of last year, only a few months after taking home the gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics, was made up for by victory. The first Thai guy to make it to the final was Kunlavut, a three-time world junior champion. He defeated the defending champion Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinals after dropping just one game along the way. However, in Kunlavut’s four prior games, Axelsen had never been defeated. Although playing with him is extremely challenging, Kunlavut noted, “I want to learn therefore it’s OK (losing)”.
Following her maiden world championship final, Chen was similarly reflective. Chen has been playing Yamaguchi for eight years, but this was the first set Chen had won since 2019. She moves really quickly, and I have to keep up, remarked Chen. From 11-9 in the first game, Yamaguchi pulled away from Chen, scoring seven of the next eight points.
In the second game, the Japanese star began to consider the outcome, and Chen jumped all over her. However, Yamaguchi refocused in the third game, took her time, and paid back the Chinese by moving out to an 8-1 lead and controlling the rest of the match. The jubilant crowd brought her home.
The crowd was quite encouraging, so I was starting to get a little emotional, Yamaguchi admitted. It was a memorable occasion.
