PETALING JAYA: Hosts Denmark got off to a superb start by beating South Korea 4-1 in their opening Group C tie of the Thomas Cup Finals in Horsens.
Denmark underlined their strength at home by sweeping all three singles and stealing one point in the doubles, even without star player Viktor Axelsen, who recently announced his retirement.
World No. 3 Anders Antonsen lived up to expectations by defeating youngster Yoo Tae-bin 11-21, 21-17, 21-15 to give Denmark a strong start.
South Korea split their world No. 1 pair Kim Won-ho–Seo Seung-jae, but the gamble backfired as the Danes snatched the first doubles point through Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard.
Lundgaard-Vestergaard needed less than an hour to beat Ki Dong-ju–Kim Won-ho 21-18, 23-21.
Magnus Johannesen then battled for 73 minutes to overcome Choi Ji-hoon 21-12, 17-21, 21-15 and seal the winning point.
Denmark dropped a point in the second doubles, with Kim Astrup-Mathias Christiansen, going down 17-21, 21-18, 21-23 to Jin Yong–Seo Seung-jae.
Christiansen is a top mixed doubles player, currently ranked seventh in the world with Alexandra Boje, but loaned to play in the team event.
In the final match, Ditlev Jaeger Holm beat Park Sang-yong 26-24, 21-12 to complete a 4-1 win for the hosts in a tie that lasted for more than four hours.
Denmark will next face Sweden on April 26 before taking on Taiwan on April 29 as they look to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
