Double Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen set to chase record Hong Kong Open jackpot
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In his first competition after claiming his second straight Olympic gold in Paris last summer, Dane Axelsen broke his Hong Kong duck by beating China's Lei Lanxi in a one-sided final.
For this year's event, set for Hong Kong Coliseum from September 9 to 14, Axelsen will be joined in a loaded men's draw by China's world No 1, Shi Yuqi.
The dramatic thunderstorms on Tuesday washed out a planned press conference, but not the enthusiasm of organisers, who anticipated the six-day event sparking a 'new wave of sporting excitement in Hong Kong'.
The Hong Kong men's charge will be led by world No 13 and 2019 champion Lee Cheuk-yiu, along with Angus Ng Ka-long, who became the first home winner in 2016, and Jason Gunawan, a quarter-finalist last year.
Hong Kong's Happy Lo in action at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong could be the stage for Dubai-based Axelsen's return to action after he had surgery in April to cure long-standing back problems.
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