PETALING JAYA: Danish great Viktor Axelsen stunned the badminton world by announcing his retirement on Wednesday (April 15).
The two-time world champion said the decision was not an easy one, but admitted he could no longer perform at the level he expected due to a long standing back injury that continued to trouble him.
The 32-year-old, who is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist, said he had tried various methods in a bid to fully recover, but still experienced pain every time he stepped on court.
“Due to my recurrent back issues, I am no longer able to compete and train at the highest level.
"After undergoing endoscopic surgery, multiple injections, new training methods, treatments, and basically trying everything to become pain-free for a long time now, I have been advised to focus on my long term health.
"Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue,” said Axelsen.
Axelsen can take pride in being one of the sport’s most dominant figures, having held the world No. 1 ranking for 132 consecutive weeks.
