Speaker A
Who was harder to face, Lin Dan or Lee Chong Wei? I think both. I think actually in the start of my career, you know, when I was still young and coming up, I played Chong Wei on numerous occasions where I
Viktor Axelsen reflects on facing badminton legends Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei, sharing why Chong Wei was harder early in his career.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
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Key Takeaways
- Both Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei were formidable opponents for Axelsen.
- Chong Wei's speed and sharpness posed a unique challenge early in Axelsen's career.
- Axelsen struggled particularly with Chong Wei's backcourt smashes.
- The experience against these legends helped shape Axelsen’s growth as a player.
- Respect and admiration for both players are evident in Axelsen’s reflections.
What the video covers
- Viktor Axelsen compares the difficulty of playing against Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei.
- He acknowledges both players as tough opponents.
- Early in his career, Axelsen found Lee Chong Wei particularly challenging.
- Chong Wei's speed and sharpness made it hard for Axelsen to compete.
- Axelsen recalls a match in Malaysia where he struggled to lift shots against Chong Wei.
- He lost a match with scores 8-12 against Chong Wei early in his career.
- Axelsen felt that every attempt to play the backcourt was countered effectively by Chong Wei.
- He describes Chong Wei’s smashes as overwhelming during that period.
- The video highlights the respect Axelsen has for both badminton legends.
- It provides insight into the challenges faced by a rising player against top-tier opponents.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
literally couldn't understand how somebody could win against Lee because he was so much faster than me. He was so sharp. But I remember playing him in Malaysia when I was maybe one of my first years on tour. That literally I
Speaker A
couldn't lift without him just smashing it into the ground. It was absolutely crazy. I think I lost with 8 and 12 when I was playing Chong Wei in the start of my career. I just felt like every time I
Speaker A
tried to lift or play the backcourt, I was just sorry, screwed. So I actually felt a little bit harder against Chong Wei.
Topics:Viktor AxelsenLin DanLee Chong Weibadmintonbadminton legendsbadminton rivalrybadminton careerbadminton challengesbadminton smashesbadminton backcourt
