Viktor Axelsen put on a crushing performance against Anthony Ginting in the quarterfinal to enter into his fourth All England consecutive semifinal.
The two shared a podium at the Tokyo Olympics and the matchup was one of the most hotly anticipated of the day. However, what the fans witnessed was a one-sided dominant display from the Olympic Champion.
What was seen on court one throughout the day was a clear fast and slow side. We have seen the devastating game that Axelsen can inflict in fast conditions, but one thing that is often commented by his opponents is that the tall Dane is able to play with an impenetrable defence when necessary, making the changing conditions unimportant for him.
-I did not really prefer a side. I just had to adapt on whichever side I was and today it worked out really well, Axelsen said.
Axelsen wrapped up the match in just 34 minutes, 21-4, 21-9. He was understandably pleased with the efficient performance.
-I respect Ginting a lot, he is absolutely an amazing player and really skillful. So, I knew that I had to play my game plan, Axelsen was humble after such a win.
Lee Zii Jia mustered up enough
The Malaysian ace is the reigning champion and faced a tough opponent in the 2019 All England champion, Kento Momota, who is famously cool, calm and collected in windy hall conditions. The Japanese star, often referred to as ‘King Kento’ is looking to regain his previous regal status in the category.
After dropping the opening game in a blink of an eye, Momota looked like he had played the conditions perfectly, absorbing much of Lee’s attacks and forcing a decider. After a close early exchange in the third, Momota returned to his ‘good’ side. However, Lee conjured up some extra power from somewhere which left Momota scratching his head. Lee took the match 21-7 13-21 21-11.
-To be honest, in the beginning, I was really shocked at how easy it was for me to get points. There was a difference between the two sides of the court. When I lost the second game, the most important thing was mental strength and the crowd. I was thinking I cannot disappoint them, Lee explained.
-The wind was the most important part of the game, I wanted to control this. When I saw his power in the end, I lost my moment to win the match, Momota conceded.
Lee will now play Lakshya Sen who received a walkover today through Lu Guang Zu pulling out due to a bad back.