Viktor Axelsen admitted he was not physically strong after the lanky Dane suffered a shock first round exit at the Malaysia Open on Tuesday.
Axelsen succumbed 17-21, 13-21 to a well playing Lee Cheuk Yiu, but the 38-minute defeat to the Hong Kong star posed questions of Axelsen’s condition.
True enough, the Paris Olympics gold medalist admitted he was not 100% up for the contest.
“I don’t feel physically strong at the moment, I have to fix that. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to practice at all. I have been unlucky with my injuries.
“I felt good coming back from vacation a few weeks ago, but I had an injury again during practice. I will try to rebuild from here,” said Axelsen, who was also unsure if he would feature at next week’s India Open.
“I need to feel physically better before stepping on court,” he answered to that question.
Axelsen, a two-time Malaysia Open winner in 2022 & 2023, has won one title since capturing his second Olympic gold last August.
Upon returning to the World Tour circuit from the Olympics, the now world number four won the Hong Kong Open title before reaching the semi-finals of the Kumamoto Masters and the China Masters.
Axelsen succumbed 17-21, 13-21 to a well playing Lee Cheuk Yiu, but the 38-minute defeat to the Hong Kong star posed questions of Axelsen’s condition.
True enough, the Paris Olympics gold medalist admitted he was not 100% up for the contest.
“I don’t feel physically strong at the moment, I have to fix that. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to practice at all. I have been unlucky with my injuries.
“I felt good coming back from vacation a few weeks ago, but I had an injury again during practice. I will try to rebuild from here,” said Axelsen, who was also unsure if he would feature at next week’s India Open.
“I need to feel physically better before stepping on court,” he answered to that question.
Axelsen, a two-time Malaysia Open winner in 2022 & 2023, has won one title since capturing his second Olympic gold last August.
Upon returning to the World Tour circuit from the Olympics, the now world number four won the Hong Kong Open title before reaching the semi-finals of the Kumamoto Masters and the China Masters.
