Promising results give hope for a great WC for Danish badminton
When Badminton Denmark, together with Team Denmark, made the target for next week’s WC back in the autumn, Viktor Axelsen was the only realistic medal candidate.
Therefore, a modest goal of two medal points was set, which corresponds to a silver medal or two bronze medals.
Since then, however, a lot has happened in a positive direction. Anders Antonsen has shown signs of his previous level, and a couple of the doubles have raised the level. Mia Blichfeldt also seems better than for a long time.
Although Kenneth Jonassen still notes that only Axelsen is seeded for a medal, the run-up to the WC has given promises of more good Danish performances.
“It gives increased hope that we can tease, i.e. challenge, those who are higher in the world rankings than we normally do”, he says.
It does so, among other things, because the good results that several of the Danes have achieved recently have not been accidental.
“I insist that these have been good performances. They have not been free final places”, he asserts.
Anders Antonsen has previously been up to number two in the world, but injuries and dips in form have characterized the past few years.
Anders Antonsen
Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix
He had to withdraw with a small injury at the Japan Open a few weeks ago, but he states that he has overcome it and is completely ready.
And with the game he showed at the Korea Open a month ago, hitting the top and beating big names like Chou Tien Chen, Shi Yu Qi and Loh Kean Yew, he can go far at the World Cup.
Very far, says TV 2 Sports expert Jim Laugesen.
“He’s found something in his game again and he’s got perfect relationships. He’s coming in where nobody expects a lot from him and he loves that.”
“It may well be that it will be a surprise, but it won’t be that big if he and Axelsen end up facing each other in the final”, says Laugesen.
The experienced men’s doubles with Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup won WC bronze in 2021, but since then they have had difficulty finding the melody.
Recently, however, they have again found the sharpness and stability in the game. They had to withdraw for personal reasons before the second-round match at the Japan Open most recently, but also come with 12 straight wins and two tournament wins under their belts from both the European Games and the Canada Open.
“It gives us some confidence and belief in things after we’ve been in a bit of a down period. We’ve won two titles, and it gives us some faith that we can be involved where it’s fun”, says Kim Astrup.
Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje
Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix
Among other things, the pair beat the Olympic champions on the way to the title in Canada.
And finally, the mixed doubles with Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje has started to get more victories over big names under their belt.
This resulted, among other things, in a great victory in the Singapore Open in June and a silver medal at the European Games.
“We are at something close to our highest level ever right now. We have become somewhat more stable, and that is also why we are now number 11 in the world”, says Mathias Christiansen.
Viktor Axelsen is still by far Denmark’s biggest medal contender, which is why sports manager Jens Meibom still urges caution when people call the goal unambitious.
“We are in a different place than in the autumn, and that is positive. So I can see more than two medal points, but I can also easily see fewer”, he says.
The WC will be played from 21 to 27 August in the Royal Arena.
2023-08-20 07:07:06
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