Powers on: Indonesia's Jonatan Christie hits a return against India's H.S. Prannoy during their men's singles match at the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China. - AFP
PETALING JAYA: Indonesia and Denmark are set for a thrilling showdown on Thursday (May 1) to determine the winners in this year’s group of death clash at the Sudirman Cup.
This clash mirrors the 2021 edition in Vantaa, Finland, where both teams also competed for top spot in their group. Indonesia edged Denmark 3-2 then, and they’ll be hoping for a repeat performance this time around.
The Indonesians are riding high after a convincing 4-1 victory over India, one of the tournament’s favourites, in their Group D tie on Wednesday.
The standout performer was Putri Kusuma, who pulled off a stunning upset over 2019 world champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist P. V. Sindhu, winning 21-12, 21-13 in just 38 minutes.
"I couldn’t believe it myself. Of course, I was nervous before the match, but there was so much support behind me. I just wanted to enjoy the moment because I had nothing to lose," said Putri.
"I wanted to prove something to myself. I had lost to Sindhu in our previous encounters, so this wasn’t just about winning; I wanted to show that women’s singles can deliver vital points for Indonesia."
Indonesia’s remaining points came from men’s singles ace Jonatan Christie, the women’s doubles pair of Lanny Tria-Siti Fadia, and the men’s doubles duo of Shohibul Fikri-Daniel Marthin.
This result has only fuelled Indonesia’s hunger, especially after returning empty-handed from the last two editions, despite being the inaugural champions in 1989 and six-time runners-up.
"Of course, I want Indonesia to reach the quarter-finals first, and then go as far as possible in the tournament," said Jonatan.
"I’ve had many bitter memories at the Sudirman Cup. The past still lingers in my mind, and it’s been a strong motivation for me to avoid repeating those mistakes this time. I’m really happy that I was finally able to contribute a point to the team."
European champions Denmark had no trouble sweeping aside England 5-0, despite the absence of reigning world and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, who was sidelined by injury.
Head coach Thomas Stavngaard faces a tougher task, as the European side have endured a medal drought in the tournament for more than a decade, with their last podium finish being a bronze in 2013 in Kuala Lumpur.
