PARIS – Badminton is a family affair for Viktor Axelsen.

His wife Natalia Rohde is a former Denmark national player, while he is managed by his father and his coach is his father-in-law. Coincidentally, both men are named Henrik.

He may have a family team behind him now, but by his own admission, the defending men’s singles Olympic champion “was not really a team player”. Axelsen, 30, added: “I like individual sports and I like to face my own challenges by myself when I’m on court.”