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May 23, 2016

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Danes end long wait for Thomas Cup glory

DENMARK beat Indonesia 3-2 in the Thomas Cup final yesterday, securing the nation’s first world team championship in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, 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.

“Ever since we came here, since last week, I’ve been dreaming about being the deciding factor in a final,” said Vittinghus. “I really appreciate that my teammates put me in this position where I had a chance to win the cup for Denmark.”

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. 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.

Indonesian 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 as Vittinghus beat 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 cheered.

“My confidence grew throughout the match. I was nervous in the beginning but I think I handled it pretty well,” said Vittinghus, adding that post-match celebrations will likely include “a lot beer, a lot of champagne and a lot of shouting and dancing.”

After China’s untimely exit in the quarters, the locals rallied around the Danes.




 

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