Preview: Heat is On in Hangzhou!
The withdrawal of Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen from the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2024 due to injury changes the dynamics of men’s singles and makes it far more open.
· DEV SUKUMAR
Axelsen has a special relationship with the season finale, having won back to back titles in Dubai (2016, 2017) before achieving three successive titles (2021-2023) from four straight finals. With the Dane having stepped aside, and the inclusion of Li Shi Feng, men’s singles now sports an unpredictable look.
While his compatriot Anders Antonsen has been in hot form lately, with back to back titles in Denmark and China, the Dane will be hard pressed, given the quality of the field. Late inclusion Li Shi Feng found form at the Kumamoto Masters Japan, where he beat Axelsen in the semifinals and Leong Jun hao in the final, for his first title of the season from three finals.
Another strong contender is Jonatan Christie, who found his zone in the March-April winning the All England and the Asian Championships before a mid-year slump. In the post-Olympic season he has rediscovered his touch, with finals at the Arctic Open and the China Masters.