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The BWF World Championships 2023 will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from August 21-27. The host country has been a powerhouse in the sport and has been the only nation from the rest of the world to challenge the supremacy of Asia.
In this edition of the World Championships too, Denmark would have a major presence, albeit in only one of the five divisions – men’s singles. The Olympic and World champion Viktor Axelsen will be the hot favorite to retain his title, with Anders Antonsen also looking to make a mark alongside his more fancied compatriot.
One major jolt to the event has been the withdrawal of second seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. The skilful Indonesian player lost his mother earlier this month and hence, would not be able to participate. This is a big loss for the event.
With the BWF World Championships 2023 just around the corner, let’s look at the five biggest contenders for the men’s singles title this year. Obviously, the list starts with the home favorite.
#1 Viktor Axelsen
The Dane towers over the men’s singles division, both literally and figuratively. Reigning supreme over the division as both the present Olympic champion and the defending World champion, Viktor Axelsen seems tough to overcome.
Back in 2019 though, Axelsen found himself in a long losing streak against Japan’s Kento Momota. It seemed as if he was out of options when playing against the Japanese star. However, fate intervened the following year and an accident derailed Momota’s dominance of men’s singles badminton.
With Momota losing his form, Axelsen rose to the occasion. In 2021, he won the Olympic gold. However, he had a shock first-round exit in the World Championships of that year. Axelsen lost to the eventual winner, Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.
However, the Danish star was back to his best in last year’s edition and claimed his second title. This year, he has been in good form of late, winning the Japan Open title convincingly. He also won two Super 1000 events on the BWF World Tour – Indonesia Open and Malaysia Open.
Axelsen likes to dominate the frontcourt and uses his long reach to prevent his opponents from gaining the initiative in rallies. This strategy has worked well for him and should do so in the upcoming event too.
#2 Jonatan Christie
The reigning Asian Games champion, Jonatan Christie will carry the hopes of Indonesia now that Ginting is out of the Championships.
While he won the Asian Games gold medal in 2018, Christie hasn’t been able to rise further in his career. He also has a very poor record against Axelsen, to whom he lost in the Japan Open final a few weeks back.
However, he does have a good smash down the line and can produce a good effort against most other players on the circuit. The fact that he reached the final of the Japan Open is a testament to that.
His biggest challenge will be to get the better of Axelsen. Apart from that, he is, no doubt, a major contender.
#3 Anders Antonsen
The second best Dane in the draw, Anders Antonsen has been an also-ran in the men’s singles division for a long time. He's been able to have the odd success in low-profile events but still awaits a big title.
Playing on home court, in front of the home crowd, could be the big boost that the Danish player needs to take his game to the next level.
What would work in his favor is the fact that after Axelsen, there isn’t a clear hierarchy of players in men’s singles. Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew stunned everyone by winning the title in 2021. This was an example of what can happen when most of the top contenders are capable of beating each other on their day.
For Antonsen, this is a great opportunity. The local fans would be hoping that he has saved his best for the BWF World Championships 2023.
#4 Shi Yuqi
Not many fans may remember or know this, but Shi Yuqi was emerging as a leading men’s singles player some years ago. He won the All England Open in 2018 and also reached the final of the World Championships that year. He was seen as the next big star from China, following in the footsteps of Lin Dan and Chen Long.
However, since then, both on- and off-court issues have prevented the shuttler from attaining the success he has the potential for. Things seemed to have fallen in place again last year when he won two World Tour events.
This year, he again managed to reach the final of the All England Open but lost to the surprise winner, Li Shifeng from his own nation.
Since the Chinese players have shown the tendency to reserve their energy and intensity for the big events, Shi might be a top contender in the upcoming BWF World Championships 2023. His experience of playing on the big stage will be a factor in his favor.
#5 Lakshya Sen
The talented Indian shuttler has been making a mark on the big stage the last couple of years. He was the runner-up at last year’s All England Open and won a bronze at the World Championships of 2021.
Lakshya Sen's quickness across the court and a deadly cross-court smash from round-the-head position make him a dangerous player for most opponents. He does need to work a little more on polishing his craft to become an even better player.
However, have come close to winning a major title before, he certainly can turn up the heat at this event too. One gets the feeling that he is not far off the mark.
