HORSENS (Denmark), April 24 — Not all rivalries are defined by tension.

For professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia, his relationship with former world No. 1 from Denmark, Viktor Axelsen, reveals a different side of elite sport - one shaped by respect and quiet support beyond the court.

As Axelsen bowed out from the international stage recently, Zii Jia paid tribute not just to a dominant opponent but to a figure who played a meaningful role during one of the toughest periods of his career.

During his back injury struggles last year, Zii Jia revealed that the two-time Olympic champion went out of his way to help, even connecting him with medical support.

“Last year, I had a back injury. He gave me a lot of advice and even introduced me to his doctor. I had asked Axelsen (about how to deal with the injury) because my case was quite similar to his, although his was more serious.

“He then asked me to send him my MRI report, and he passed it to a friend who is a surgeon. From there, I got the contact number, and we communicated through phone,” he told Bernama when met during the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2026 in Forum Horsens, here.

The current world No. 82 said their bond also grew through an unexpected off-court moment in Europe, when a flight disruption turned into an impromptu dinner between the two.

“I think our flight was cancelled in Amsterdam, and he invited me out for dinner.

“We talked a lot about off-court things, like his hobbies and other stuff. He is a very good senior player and always gives advice,” he said.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medallist also said Axelsen’s legacy is unquestionable as the Dane is a player who defined an era in men’s singles badminton.

While they met as rivals on court, the 28-year-old admitted he feels fortunate to have shared those battles with Axelsen, who won seven of 10 their encounters.

“I will definitely miss playing against him. Personally, I felt lucky to have beaten him before.

“He was such a great player. I never got to play against Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei or Lin Dan (China), so this is something I am proud of,” he said.

On April 15, Axelsen announced his retirement due to a persistent back injury, closing the chapter on a historic badminton career.

Apart from Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, the 32-year-old won two world titles in 2017 and 2022, and was part of Denmark’s team that lifted their only Thomas Cup title in 2016.

The Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2026, which kicked off today, will run until May 3.

Five-time champions Malaysia will open their Thomas Cup Group B campaign against England tomorrow, followed by Finland on April 27, before wrapping up the group stage against 2014 champion Japan on April 29. — Bernama