JAKARTA – Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen has officially retired from the world of professional badminton at the age of 32 with physical limitations after a back surgery in April 2025.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist said in an Instagram post that he was no longer able to train at the highest level due to a back problem that had not improved.
“Accepting this situation is very difficult, but now I have reached a point where my body does not allow me to continue,” he wrote.
Axelsen retired as one of the most accomplished men’s singles players in the history of badminton. He managed to win the 2020 Olympic gold medal in Tokyo and the 2024 Olympic gold medal in Paris as well as the 2016 Olympic bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, he also won the World Championships in 2017 and 2022 and ranked number one in the world for more than 100 consecutive weeks, a record that is only surpassed by Lee Chong Wei’s total duration.
His consistency was also seen in the BWF World Tour Finals closing tournament. In that event, he won three consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023. Overall, he collected five closing season tournament titles and 10 Super 1000 titles.
“Since I first picked up a racket, I knew my dream was to be the best in the world. I have given everything for this sport. It’s not just a career for me but my life. I have done everything,” he wrote.
The 1.94-meter-tall player changed the physical standards of men’s singles by combining strength, reach, and tactical control to dominate across the eras, including challenging the dominance of players such as Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei.
Off the court, Axelsen’s influence is also felt globally. He studied Mandarin to get closer to fans in Asia and moved to Dubai after winning his first Olympic gold.
There, he built a self-sufficient training center that also helped the development of players, such as Lakshya Sen, Brian Yang, and Loh Kean Yew.
“I have achieved everything I ever dreamed of, even more. It’s not the competition that makes this goodbye the hardest, but everything around it, namely the journey, daily routines, and people,” he said.
He also thanked the fans who have always been loyal to providing extraordinary support.
“Words are not enough to describe how grateful I am to you all. Your support from around the world means a lot to me,” he wrote.
Axelsen also confirmed that his relationship with badminton is not completely over even though he has stopped from the professional stage.
“This is indeed a farewell for Viktor Axelsen as a badminton player, but it is not my farewell to this sport forever. I have given everything to badminton. Badminton has given everything back to me,” he concluded.
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