India Open: A Hard Nut to Crack
Eight years ago, at the YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2015, Viktor Axelsen was struggling to contain his tears after a meltdown against Kidambi Srikanth in the final.
· DEV SUKUMAR
That was a time when Axelsen was still vulnerable to pressure – he’d fallen apart in the last game, Kidambi shooting past with 11 straight points for the title.
They’ve faced each other several times since, including a second India Open final. Today the same opponents clashed, in the opening round, and the difference in the Dane’s mental makeup couldn’t have been more evident. Axelsen, in imperious form over the last two seasons, and having started 2023 on a winning note in Malaysia, demonstrated just how hard he is to crack.
Kidambi was flying in the second game at 15-5, a blur of motion and sharp angles and putaways. Yet Axelsen stayed in the hunt, finally catching up at 18, and he only needed the one match point to take his spot in the second round.