PETALING JAYA: Difficult moments often come before a breakthrough, and once it arrives, success begins to gather momentum.
That is exactly what former world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen experienced, describing the major achievements he enjoys today as the result of a breakthrough in his career 10 years ago.
The year 2016 is considered a landmark in Axelsen’s journey. Before that, he had to compete against some of the biggest names in badminton, including Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, and Cheng Long.
Despite Asia’s dominance in the sport, Axelsen emerged to offer stiff competition. It started with his first European Championship title that year, before he led Denmark to win the Thomas Cup in Kunshan, making them the first European nation to lift the trophy.
Three months later, Axelsen competed at the Rio Olympics and secured a bronze medal after defeating Lin Dan in the playoff for third place.
He capped the year by winning the Super Series Finals (now known as the World Tour Finals) in Dubai, his first Super Series title, defeating Tian Houwei in the final.
“2016 was a true breakthrough year for me. Not only did I win my first Olympic medal in Rio and the amazing Thomas Cup trophy with the team, but just as important was another milestone - winning my very first Super Series title – the Finals in Dubai.
"Before that victory, I had already reached six Super Series finals and lost every single one of them. After losing my sixth final, I slowly started to believe the comments saying that I couldn’t handle the pressure when it mattered most.
"That doubt stays with you if you let it. But 2016 changed everything. That win in Dubai gave me belief. My confidence grew, and from that point on I started winning more and more tournaments,” recalled Axelsen, looking back on a decade of memories.
He also sees the lessons of the past decade as a valuable guide in life.
"The lesson is simple: fall down. Get back up. And try again," he added.
Axelsen has since won numerous titles, including back-to-back Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
He has also claimed the World Championship title twice, in Glasgow 2017 and Tokyo 2020.
He also dominated the BWF World Tour in 2021 and 2022, frequently claiming titles along the way.
At the moment, Axelsen has yet to compete in any tournament this year as he continues to recover from a back injury.
