World No 1 Viktor Axelsen to play in Singapore Badminton Open
Denmark's Viktor Axelsen in action at the BWF World Tour Finals in Bangkok on Dec 10, 2022. (File photo: AFP/Lillian Suwanrumpha)
SINGAPORE: Badminton fans in Singapore will have a chance to catch the men's world No 1 in action, after Viktor Axelsen confirmed his participation in the 2023 Singapore Badminton Open in June.
The reigning world and Olympic champion will headline "what is expected to be the strongest player field in the tournament's history", the tournament's organisers said in a media release on Thursday (Mar 30).
"Organised by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA), the Singapore Badminton Open is a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 series event and is set to feature all of the top 15 singles players and top 10 doubles pairs battling it out for top honours and a slice of the US$850,000 (S$1.13 million) prize purse," the organisers said.
Last year, the tournament was a Super 500 event with fewer ranking points and a smaller purse of US$370,000 on offer.
Thailand's world No 7 Kunlavut Vitidsarn has also been confirmed for the men's singles while his compatriot Ratchanok Intanon, ranked 8th in the world, will feature in the women's singles.
The tournament will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from Jun 6 to Jun 11, and badminton associations have until Apr 25 to submit their entries.
In response to a CNA query, SBA said it was "highly probable" that former world champion Loh Kean Yew, former world junior No 1 Yeo Jia Min as well as Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold medallists Terry Hee and Jessica Tan would be the Singaporean players in the draw.
Axelsen said that he is looking forward to competing in Singapore.
"I love competing in Singapore – the fans are always fantastic," he said.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't compete in Singapore last year, but I'm looking forward to returning to Singapore and capturing my first Singapore Badminton Open title."
Axelsen, who struck Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, had an outstanding 2022, winning six BWF World Tour titles and becoming the first male player to win at the All England Open, the BWF World Championships and the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in the same season.
He also went on a 39-match winning streak which was snapped by Singapore's Loh Kean Yew at the Dane's home tournament.
Axelsen's winning ways continued this year as he claimed the Malaysia Open title in January. However, he was beaten in the final of the India Open a week later by Kunlavut.
At last year's Singapore Badminton Open, Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting claimed the men's singles title while PV Sindhu of India won the women's singles.
Ginting beat home favourite Loh in the semi-finals to extend Singapore's 60-year wait for a men's singles champion at the tournament.
