Good shot: Viktor Axelsen beat Vietnam’s Nhat Nguyen 21-6, 21-11 in the first round on Monday. — Badminton Photo
PETALING JAYA: Nothing beats a cup of black coffee for Denmark’s men’s singles shuttler Viktor Axelsen.
Pictures of a cup of coffee with the caption of ‘game day’ can be seen on Axelsen’s social media whenever he has a match on that day.
The world No. 1 Axelsen said he has the habit of drinking a cup of black coffee before competing, which keeps him going throughout the day.
“As long as it’s black coffee, I’m okay with it,” said Axelsen.
“I’m not a coffee snob and I don’t care about the types.
“Just give me a cup of black coffee and it keeps me going.”
Defending champion and top seed Axelsen will be the shuttler to beat in the World Championships after winning four titles – Japan Open, European Games, Indonesian Open and Malaysian Open – so far this year.
While all eyes will be on Axelsen as he competes in the world meet, he is not putting undue pressure on himself to live up to the high expectations.
“It’s pretty difficult to tune out because everyone I meet on the street wants to wish me good luck,” said Axelsen.
“Of course there’s a lot of pressure and I’m not trying to hide that at all.
“I think everyone will be disappointed if I don’t go really far and if I don’t win almost a gold medal, so the pressure is huge.
“However, I will just try to enjoy the ride.”
Axelsen made a strong start in the World Championships when he defeated Vietnam’s world No. 37 Nhat Nguyen 21-6, 21-11 to clear his first round hurdle at the Royal Arena, in Copenhagen, Denmark on Monday.
The homester was pleased with his overall performance.
“I’m really, really satisfied with my performance today (on Monday),” said Axelsen in a post-match interview with SPOTV.
“Nhat is definitely not an easy opponent in the first round but I played really well.
“The pressure is really huge but I’m really enjoying it and I felt really good on the court.
“Being able to perform in front of my family, friends, sponsor and the rest is a big thing for me, so I’m really honoured to be here and I will do my best throughout the week.”
The 29-year-old faces a tricky Christo Popov of France in the second round next.
Malaysians unless stated
FIRST ROUND
Men’s singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Nhat Nguyen (Vie) 21-6, 21-11; Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt Luis Enrique Penalver (Spa) 23-21, 21-8; Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) bt Luka Wraber (Aut) 21-7, 21-10; Ng Tze Yong bt Zhao Junpeng (Chn) 21-19, 26-24; Kenta Nishimito (Jpn) bt Kidambi Srikanth (Ind) 21-14, 21-14; Kanta Tsuneyama (Jpn) bt Adham Hatem (Egy) 21-8, 21-8; Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hkg) bt Max Weisskirchen (Ger) 21-19, 21-15; Toma Junior Popov (Fra) bt Tobias Keunzi (Swi) 21-7, 21-17;
Uriel Francisco (Els) bt B. R. Sankerth (Can) 14-21, 21-16, 21-18; Christo Popov (Fra) bt Hai Dang Nguyen (Vie) 21-19, 15-21, 21-17; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Misha Zilberman (Isr) 21-8, 21-15; Rasmus Gemke (Den) bt Mark Caljouw (Ned) 21-18, 21-16; Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) bt Bernardo Atilano (Por) 21-11, 21-8; Julien Carraggi (Bel) bt Milan Dratva (Slo) 21-7, 21-19; Chico Aura (Ina) bt Nathan Tang (Aus) 21-7, 21-7;
Ygor Coelho (Bra) bt Job Castillo (Mex) 21-8, 21-13; Jeon Hyeok-jin (Kor) bt Bahardeen Ahmad (Jor) 21-9, 21-5; Lu Guangzu (Chn) bt Joran Kweekel (Net) 21-15, 22-20; Kantaphon Wangcharoen (Tha) bt Fabio Caponio (Ita) 21-11, 21-11; Wang Tzu-wei (Tpe) bt Giovanni Toti (Ita) 21-11, 21-8; Jason Teh Jia Heng (Sin) bt Jan Louda (Cze) 24-22, 17-21, 21-15; Danylo Bosniuk (Ukr) w.o. Anthony Ginting (Ina).
Men’s doubles: Akira Koga-Taichi Saito (Jpn) bt Fabricio Farias-Francielton Farias (Bra) 21-17, 21-7; Lee Jhe-Huei-Yang Po-hsuan (Tpe) bt Rory Easton-Zach Russ (Eng) 21-12, 25-23; Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede (Den) bt Ivan Rusev-Iliyan Stoynov (Bul) 21-14, 21-15; Kevin Lee-Ty Alexander Lindeman (Can) bt Christopher Grimley-Matthew Grimley (Sco) 21-18, 16-21, 24-22;
Supak Jomkoh-Kittinupong Kedren (Tha) bt Ade Resky-Azmy Qowimuramadhoni (Aze) 21-13, 21-12; Christian Bernardo-Alvin Morada (Phi) bt Jarred Elliott-Robert Summers (Rsa) 21-17, 21-13; Giovanni Greco-David Salutt (Ita) bt Jose Guevara-Diego Mini (Per) 21-14, 21-7;
Ondrej Kral-Adam Mendrek (Cze) bt Torjus Flaatten-Vegard Rikheim (Nor) 17-21, 21-9, 21-11; Pharanyu Kaosamaang-Worrapol Thongsanga (Tha) bt Vinson Chiu-Joshua Yuan (US) 21-18, 21-11; Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov (Fra) bt Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Seidel (Ger) 21-18, 21-18;
Alexander Dunn-Adam Hall (Sco) bt Adam Dong-Nyl Yakura (Can) 21-10 rtd; Bjarne Geiss-Jan Colin (Ger) bt Job Castillo-Luis Armando (Mex) 21-15, 21-10.
Women’s singles: Hsu Wen-chi (Tpe) bt Clara Azurmendi (Spa) 21-10, 23-21; Rachael Darragh (Ire) Doha Hany (Egy) 21-11, 21-14; Thet Htar Thuzar (Mya) bt Haramara Gaitan (Mex) 21-13, 21-19; Iris Wang (US) bt Jenjira Stadelmann (Swi) 21-13, 21-13; Kim Ga-eun (Kor) bt Kristin Kuuba (Est) 19-21, 21-14, 21-16.
Women’s doubles: Lanny Tria Mayasari-Ribka Sugiarto (Ina) bt Stine Kuespert-Emma Moszczynski (Ger) 14-21, 22-20, 21-15; Maiken Fruergaard-Sara Thygesen (Den) bt Catherine Choi-Josephine Wu (Can) 21-12, 21-15; Julie Macpherson-Clara Torrance (Sco) bt Kaitlyn EA-Gronya Somerville (Aus) 25-23, 21-19;
Kristen De Wit-Alyssa Tirtosentono (Net) bt Aminath Nabeeha-Fathimath Nabaaha (Mal) 21-13, 21-10; Jacqueline Lima-Samia Lima (Bra) bt Abbygael Harris-Annie Lado (Eng) 22-20, 21-19; Margot Lambert-Anne Tran (Fra) bt Lui Lok Lok-Ng Wing Yung (Hkg) 21-16, 21-14; Debora Jille-Cheryl Seinen (Ned) bt Ashwini Bhat-Shikha Gautam (Ind) 21-14, 11-21, 21-14.
Mixed doubles: Iliyan Stoynov-Hristomira Popovska (Bul) bt Jonathan Solis-Diana Corleto (Gua) 21-19, 20-22, 21-12; Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas (Ina) bt Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito (Jpn) 23-21, 8-21, 21-11; Terry Hee-Jessica Tan (Sin) bt Mathias Thyrri-Amalie Magelund (Den) 21-12, 21-18; Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) bt Alvin Morada-Alyssa Ysabel (Phi) 21-10, 21-12; Marcus Ellis-Lauren Smith (Eng) bt Kenneth Choo-Gronya Somerville (US) 22-24, 21-15, 21-14; Jonas Ralfy-Linda Elfer (Ger) bt Venkat Gaurav-Juhi Dewangan (Ind) 21-12, 21-11; Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) bt Hussein Zayan-Fathimath Nabaaha (Mal) 21-4, 21-6; Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Ng Tsz Yau (Hkg) bt Davi Silca-Sania Lima (Bra) 20-22, 21-19, 21-7.
SECOND ROUND
Men’s singles: Wang Tzu-wei (Tpe) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-16, 18-21, 21-19;
