It has been a decade since Denmark achieved their greatest-ever team victory. Interestingly, this 10^th anniversary will see the Danes host the BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026.

Going into the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2016, Denmark did pack a punch. Strength in singles and doubles ensured a balance, but the big question was the impact Carsten Mogensen’s absence would have on the team. Mogensen had suffered a brain aneurysm earlier that year; given that he and Mathias Boe were among the world’s best pairs, Mogensen’s absence was a blow for Denmark.

In the course of the week, the Danes had further problems, with Jan O Jorgensen and Mads Pieler Kolding having niggling injuries, forcing recombinations in the doubles and requiring Denmark to field youngster Emil Holst in the semifinal decider against Malaysia. That neither Holst, nor any of his compatriots, choked under pressure was a statement to the cool-headedness of the Danes. It hadn’t been a smooth journey, but they were the ones left standing after the clouds had cleared.

Torrid Doubles Battle

The most significant of the group ties happened between Japan and China in Group A. The two teams, fighting for topping the group, were engaged in a fiery battle to begin with, as Sho Sasaki troubled Chen Long and Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa nearly stormed past Zhang Nan/Fu Haifeng. China survived these two encounters, and went on to sweep the tie 5-0.

Quarterfinal Shock

But the aftereffects of this tie were felt a day later when China took on Korea in the quarterfinals. With Son Wan Ho beating Chen Long, and Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong nipping past Zhang Nan/Fu Haifeng in another cracker of a match, the Chinese were on the backfoot.

Kim Gi Jung/Kim Sa Rang closed the door on them, and China were out of contention for the second straight edition of the Thomas Cup.

Korea had suddenly shot into reckoning as possible title contenders, but their euphoria didn’t last long as they ran into Indonesia. Korea needed Lee and Yoo to win the first doubles, but the top-ranked duo were drained from the previous evening and stood no chance against world champions Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan. Indonesia made the final, with a chance to reclaim the Thomas Cup that they had last won in 2002.

A Smart Campaign

Denmark had started in Group D with Chinese Taipei, South Africa and New Zealand. The Danes expectedly swept past South Africa and New Zealand, but Chinese Taipei handed them a stern test, with Hsu Jen Hao beating Jorgensen and Wang Tzu Wei beating Hans-kristian Vittinghus in the fifth match, 25-23 in the decider. The Danes however had taken the tie 3-1 after the fourth match and drew Japan in the quarterfinals.

Denmark deployed their limited resources smartly. Jorgensen had struggled in the group match against Hsu, but he was persisted with against Japan to enable the experienced Vittinghus a shot in the possible fifth match. Japan did well to bounce back from 0-2 to 2-2, but Denmark’s tactics worked, and Vittinghus prevailed over Riichi Takeshita in the fifth match.

The Scandinavians once again showed great heart in the semifinals. This time they were 0-2 down to Malaysia. Vittinghus played second singles and he kept Denmark alive in the contest, beating Iskandar Zulkarnain. Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen shook off an opening game loss to Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong, and then it was down to the fifth match, with Emil Holst playing third singles against Chong Wei Feng.

Holst showed no sign of being intimidated as he swept past Chong in straight games. Denmark were in their ninth final.

Vittinghus Emerges Hero

The final was between Denmark’s singles and Indonesia’s doubles and that’s how it unfolded. Jorgensen had recovered in time and returned to shouldering responsibility in the second singles behind Axelsen.

Going in with the tie 1-1, Jorgensen proved too strong for the upcoming Anthony Ginting; but Indonesia’s second doubles Angga Pratama/Ricky Karanda Suwardi would keep the team in the hunt beating Astrup/Rasmussen.

It was finally down to the last match, a position Vittinghus had prepared himself for. Across the net was Ihsan Maulana Mustofa, somewhat raw at that level. Long before the match was won, Vittinghus was celebrating.

At long last, Denmark had scaled the summit.

“It was a big honour to play the (fifth) match – last week I was dreaming about being the deciding factor,” said Vittinghus. “I’m extremely happy, and very proud that I went and did it. I played one heck of a match. To do that at 2-2 is a wonderful feeling… There are three things I’ve dreamed of since I became a player – to win the Olympics, the All England and the Thomas Cup. It is a dream come true. It’s one of the biggest moments of my life.”

Denmark singles coach Kenneth Jonassen summed it up: “Everybody has to stand for one another… the victory is no coincidence, we have been working on these (fifth match) situations. There has been a lot of honesty in team meetings. You need everything to come together and a bit of luck.”

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