India Open 2024: Victor Axelsen Withdraws From Super 750 Tournament Due To Sickness

Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen’s last-minute pull-out is a blessing in disguise for Indians HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and Priyanshu Rawat – one of whom was likely to run into him in the quarterfinals.

New Delhi: Denmark’s world No.1 shuttler Viktor Axelsen has pulled out of the India Open 2024 after falling sick while playing in the Malaysia Open. Axelsen was initially a part of the elite names participating in the Super 750 tournament. The last-minute withdrawal of the top-seeded Axelsen will only brighten the chances of Prannoy, Lakshya and Priyanshu – one of whom was likely to run into him in the quarterfinals.

“After my match on Saturday, I’ve been laying in bed ill and after talking with the medical team present here in Malaysia, I’ve been advised to get additional checkup,” wrote Axelsen, who had lost in the semifinal to China’s Shi Yuqi last week, on ‘X’.

“That means that I unfortunately won’t be able to travel and be present at India Open this year, which is rather disappointing as it has been a tournament where I’ve loved to play in front of the Indian badminton fans.”

Axelsen’s withdrawal means Chinese Taipei Wang Tzu Wei gets a walkover in the first round. Meanwhile, expectations will be high when Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty spearhead the Indian challenge at the India Open 2024 hoping to annex their first silverware of the new season.

With six titles in 2023, Satwik and Chirag have been a cut above the rest of the Indians, and the runner-up finish at the Malaysia super 1000 has only spiced things up as the Indian shuttlers look to deliver at home. The BAI flagship tournament, which was upgraded to super 750 in 2023, proved a dampener for home shuttlers last season when none of the Indians could cross the second round.

In the 2022 edition, Satwik-Chirag and Lakshya Sen stood on the podium with the men’s doubles and men’s singles crowns. While Satwik-Chirag will be one of the frontrunners for the title, all eyes will also be on HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, and Kidambi Srikanth in men’s singles, especially in the absence of two-time Olympic medallist V Sindhu, who is nursing a knee injury.

Having fared poorly in Malaysia, world No. 8 Prannoy and Lakshya will look to find their rhythm quickly, while Srikanth must have got some confidence back following his win over Jonatan Christie in the opening round last week. Prannoy and Sen will look for a good start, having suffered first-round exits in Kuala Lumpur, when they open against Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen and Priyanshu Rajawat respectively.

With PTI Inputs