Axelsen: I'm super humble about my achievements, super content with where I'm

The Star

Denmark's world No. 1 men's singles shuttler Viktor Axelsen is not thinking too much about records, saying that he is super humble about what he had achieved in his career including back-to-back Malaysia Open titles between 2022 and 2023 and one Malaysia Masters win in 2018.   He says he just wants to enjoy his final in the Malaysia Masters on Sunday (May 26) after his 21-6, 21-13 victory over China's Lu Guangzu in the semi-final.  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00Final for you, how do you feel going into the final of the last time in 2018 you won

00:14it here?

00:15Well, I've said it many times before, this arena has a special place in my heart.

00:21I always think back on one of the first times I played here against Patou Lidjomé, it was

00:27a really quick match for me and I was sitting in the bus on the way home, I was like, how

00:31on earth am I going to get up to his level?

00:34And of course, he has been playing absolutely amazing in this arena, but for me, I've also

00:38won some titles in here, Malaysia Open, Malaysia Masters, and it's a really, really special

00:42arena to me.

00:43I've had good learning experiences in here and I've had really, really good wins here,

00:46so it's a big thing for me to play in here and I'm super thankful for the Malaysian fans.

00:50It's not something you can take for granted and I'm always really thankful when I step

00:54on court.

00:55This week, I haven't been thinking too much about results, just enjoying my game and right

00:59now, as I also said on the first day, I don't have any pain when I play and that means that

01:02I can finally play freely and that makes me, you know, feeling great on court.

01:07Victor, last year you made a record to be the first European men's singles player to

01:12win back-to-back Malaysian Open.

01:14If you win tomorrow, you will be having a new record, the first European to win twice

01:19in Malaysian Masters, so how do you see to make another record in Malaysia?

01:24To be honest, I don't think too much about records.

01:27I just think about getting, you know, every day I'm just trying to do my best.

01:32I'm super humbled about my, you know, achievements.

01:35I'm super content about where I am and I'm just super happy to be in the final records.

01:40It's great, but playing badminton without any pain in front of thousands of people is

01:45a dream, so I'm just enjoying every single second on court.

01:48Victor, I have this one question for you.

01:50I know you've mentioned that you're not really looking at titles, but your first final

01:54of the year, and most probably you might be even facing a Malaysian tomorrow in the

01:59final, and who do you think will want it more?

02:05If you're not as an individual athlete, if you don't think that you're the one who wants

02:08it the most when you go on court, you will have a really tough time in individual sports,

02:13so of course we both want this as much as we want it.

02:18That's the only answer I can give you.

02:19Of course we both want it.

02:21I wish the best for no matter who I'm going to play, but when it all comes true tomorrow,

02:26it's mano a mano and we'll see who wins.

02:29I'm just really happy about being in the final and I don't feel any pressure whatsoever.

02:34Just enjoying it on court, feeling good, I'm fully recovered and I'm ready to go.

02:51I'm ready to go.

02:52I'm ready to go.

02:53I'm ready to go.

02:54I'm ready to go.

02:55I'm ready to go.

02:56I'm ready to go.

02:57I'm ready to go.

02:58I'm ready to go.

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