Dubai: Viktor Axelsen successfully defended his title for a second crown in three years with a hard-fought 19-21, 21-19, 21-15 win over former four-time champion Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia at the season-ending men’s singles final of the 2017 BWF Dubai World Superseries Finals at the Hamdan Sports Complex On Sunday.
Goaded on by an adoring and raucous section of the near-capacity crowd, the 23-year-old Axelsen made it a hat-trick of straight wins in the last three occasions that the top two men’s seeds have played. Axelsen had denied the Malaysian a fifth season-ending title last year as well while winning in three games.
This year’s final too was no different as the Dane bid his time and allowed his older opponent to dominate him on long stretches before moving in to take his second win in three years here. Axelsen had reached the final in 2015 before losing in straight games 15-21, 12-21 to Japan’s Kento Momota. But last year, the Dane got the better of Chinese Tian Houwei in three tough games.
Established in 2008, Lee Chong Wei was the very first winner of this year-end competition when it was first held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Now 35, the Malaysian great successfully defended his crown in Johor Baharu, Malaysia and then completed a hat-trick in Taipei in 2010, after which Chinese Lin Dan and Chen Long won in 2011 and 2012. However, Lee Chong Wei made a strong return winning his fourth crown on home soil in Kuala Lumpur in 2013.
Coming into yesterday’s final, Chong Wei and Axelsen had met each other on eleven previous occasions. Starting in November 2011, the Malaysian had held the upper hand while dominating and winning all nine encounters right up to their ninth meeting in the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in May 2016.
Axelsen snatched his first-ever victory against the Malaysian player at the BWF Dubai Superseries Finals group stages exactly a year back, and then came up with a repeat at the Japan Open on September 24 this year.
Dream come true
“This is a moment I have been dreaming of since I was a little child watching Chong Wei on television back home. So now to come and beat your one-time hero looks like a dream come true,” Axelsen told media.
Ghazi Madani from Dubai Sports Council was joined by Thomas Lund, General Secretary of BWF at the presentation of trophies and cheques to the players at the end of the final that was held for one last time in Dubai before moving to another destination in 2018.
“It’s been a tough year, but I will always remember matches and moments like these till I live. The entire body is sore, and a good 15 hours of sleep will solve a lot of problems,” he smiled.
Chong Wei was gracious in defeat to his younger opponent. “He played well and in the second game he ran away with that early lead and that made the difference in the end,” the Malaysian said.
“On my part, I think I tried my best to keep myself in the final. But my best was simply not enough tonight,” he added.
