Denmark wins 1st Thomas Cup title

KUNSHAN, China — Denmark beat Indonesia 3-2 in the Thomas Cup final Sunday, securing the nation’s first world badminton team championship after racking up eight second-place finishes over the decades. Hans-Kristian Vittinghus led the Danes to victory in the fifth and final match of the tie on the back of strong singles performances from fourth-ranked Viktor Axelsen and world No. 5 Jan O. Jorgensen. Denmark is the first European nation to win the Thomas Cup. In the opening match, European champ Axelsen kicked off the final by controlling the net as he exploited his height with smashing overheads and diving saves to take the first game. World No. 8 Tommy Sugiarto grabbed the early lead in the second, but the Dane proved too strong, clinching the match 21-17, 21-18. Following the win, Axelsen sprinted to the sidelines, tossing his shirt and racket into the roaring audience — a scene that would repeated by his teammates with each successive win. Second-ranked doubles team Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan evened the score and halted Denmark’s momentum with a 21-18, 21-13 over Mads Conrad-Petersen and Mads Pieler Kolding. In the third match of the afternoon 19-year-old Anthony Ginting unleashed explosive energy to maintain Indonesia’s momentum, but fifth-ranked Jorgensen remained measured and patient to deliver a 21-17, 21-12 victory executed with finesse. But the Indonesians refused to go down quietly, battling for every shot as they pursued their 14th Thomas Cup title. Doubles pair Angga Pratama and Ricky Karanda Suwardi clawed back initiative for their team, forcing the fifth match of the series after dispensing with Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 21-16, 21-14. But the revival proved temporary. Vittinghus, who also staved off the team’s imminent defeat in the semis, was in constant motion, firing repeated overheads and dropshots with growing certainty, as he overpowered Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-15, 21-7. With their first Thomas Cup in hand, the Danes rushed the court and danced wildly as the Chinese fans stood up and cheered in approval. After China’s untimely exit in the quarters, locals rallied around the Danes, favoring their relentless pace on the court and emotional displays in victory and defeat. Thirteen-time Thomas Cup winner Indonesia was fighting to end its 14-year drought at the World Badminton Championship. — AFP