PETALING JAYA: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen may be absent from the World Championships this time, but another Victor is standing tall in Paris.
Canadian shuttler Victor Lai (pic), little known to many, announced himself on the world stage by storming into the men’s singles semi-finals with a stunning win over 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.
Victor, who is only 20, and ranked No. 50 in the world, played brilliantly to come away with a 22-20, 21-18 win at the Adidas Arena in Port de la Chapelle in Paris yesterday – in only his first world outing.
The victory meant that the youngster has created history by becoming the first Canadian shuttler to win a medal in the world meet as he is assured of at least a bronze.
The win over world No. 9 Kean Yew was not Victor’s first huge upset in Paris as he had also beaten China’s world No. 11 Lu Guangzu (second round) and South Korea’s world No. 38 Jeon Hyeok-jin (third round) en route to the semi-finals.
A delighted Victor, who had beaten Malaysia’s Eogene Ewe in the quarter-finals of the Canada Open this year, said that he was thriving in his role as the underdog.
“I think I got a lot of confidence from the summer, from past tournaments, and it feels good to be the underdog,” Victor told the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
“I don’t have much pressure against the seeded players, so I just go and do my best.”
Victor faces another steep hurdle against China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi for a place in the final.
Yuqi defeated his teammate Weng Hongyang 21-15, 7-21, 21-10 to book his spot in the last four.
