Viktor Axelsen becomes first player to win all seven BWF Super 1000 titles with China Open 2023 victory

The Dane defeated local favourite Lu Guangzu in the final.

Viktor Axelsen created history by becoming the first player to win all seven BWF Super 1000 titles after winning the China Open 2023 title. The World No. 1 won the China Open 2023 men's singles title after defeating local hero Lu Guangzu 21-16, 21-19 on September 10th 2023. Despite the backing of the home crowd for his opponent, the Danish shuttler cruised his way to victory and further solidified his status as a legend of the sport. 

With the triumph at the China Open, a BWF Super 1000 event, Viktor Axelsen has won all of the seven tournaments of this level on the BWF Tour. A BWF Super 1000 event is only second to the World Tour Finals on the BWF World tour and winning it is a fabulous achievement. 

Numero Uno

Viktor Axelsen, the current World No.1 in men’s Singles, completes his career Super 1000 triumph. Winning all of the Super 1000 tournaments on offer is a remarkable achievement and the Dane becomes the first-ever player to do the unthinkable. During the China Open 2023, Axelsen dropped only one game in the course of the whole tournament, to Wang Tzu-wei of Chinese Taipei in the second round.

From that point onwards, he played exceptional badminton and demolished every competitor who was unlucky enough to face him. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist was reeling from a shock quarter-final exit to India's HS Prannoy at the BWF World Championships 2023. Winning the 2023 China Open is a perfect way to bounce back and prepare for the challenges ahead such as the BWF World Tour Finals which is set to take place later in December 2023.

Whatever the outcome of tournaments going forward, completing the Grand Slam of Super 1000 titles including the prestigious All England Open, Thailand Open and Malaysian Open among others makes Viktor Axelsen one of the finest badminton players ever to grace the sport.