World No. 1 Viktor Axelson to Headline : Singapore Badminton Open 2023!

World No 1 Viktor Axelsen (DEN). Photo Credit : Singapore Badminton Open 2023

Reigning world champion, Olympic gold medallist and current world No. 1 Viktor Axelson, will headline the 2023 edition of the Singapore Badminton Open, which will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from 6th to 11th June 2023.

Joining Axelsen in what is expected to be the strongest player field in the tournament’s history, is a strong Thai contingent featuring men’s singles world No. 7 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, women’s singles world No.8 Ratchanok Intanon, and the Singapore Badminton Open’s mixed doubles defending champion and World no. 4, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

Organised by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA), the Singapore Badminton Open is
a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 750 series event and is set to feature
all of the top 15 singles players and top 10 doubles pairs battling it out for top honours and a
slice of the US$850,000 prize purse. And to say Denmark’s Axelsen enjoyed a stellar season in 2022 is an understatement. Last year, the BWF Male Player of the Year broke multiple records, such as capturing 6 BWF World Tour titles in a year and becoming the only male player to win the All England Open, BWF World Championships, and season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in the same season. The 29 year old had an incredible 39-match winning streak in 2022, which Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew ended in the Denmark Open.

This year, he has picked up from right where he left off and has already captured his first title
of the season, winning the Petronas Malaysia Open 2023 in January. On competing in this year’s Singapore Badminton Open, Axelsen said: “I love competing in Singapore – the fans are always fantastic. Unfortunately, I couldn’t compete in Singapore last year, but I’m looking forward to returning to Singapore and capturing my first Singapore Badminton Open title.”

If Axelsen is to capture his maiden Singapore Badminton Open (SBO) title, he will need to get past Thai world No. 7 Kunlavut Vitidsarn. The 3-time World Junior champion has already gotten the better of Axelsen this season, defeating the Dane 22-20, 10-21, 21-12 to capture the Yonex Sunrise India Open in January.

In the women’s singles category, world No. 8 Ratchanok Intanon hopes to capture her second
Singapore Badminton Open title, with her maiden win coming in 2016. Last year, the 2013 world champion enjoyed 3 top-three/four finishes, which includes a win at the Petronas Malaysia Open 2022. And also lining up in the Lion City, is the defending SBO mixed doubles champion Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai. Ranked world No. 4, they defeated China’s Wang Yi Lyu and Huang Dong Ping in straight sets to capture one of their three titles in 2022.

Defending SBO mixed doubles champion Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai. Photo Credit : Singapore Badminton Open 2023

Sapsiree Taerattanachai remarked, “Singapore has always been a happy hunting ground for
us as we’ve already captured the Singapore Badminton Open title twice – in 2019 and last
year. I think this will be the most challenging edition of the tournament for us to win, since the
competition will be stronger than ever, now that it's a BWF World Tour Super 750 series event.”

Ticket sales are available here. Fans can enjoy early-bird rates till 31st March with early bird special rates ranging from S$100 to $350 for season tickets.