Denmark loses but still advances

Denmark may have lost its tie to Indonesia in the last Group 1 tie of the Sudirman Cup round robin stage but with Viktor Axelsen and Mia Blichfeldt (pictured right, after her loss to Fitriani) each taking one game in their singles losses, by the time Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl took the opening game of the women’s doubles match, it was all over for Indonesia.

The only way the 1989 champions could match India’s 5-5 won-lost record in matches for the round robin was to beat Denmark 4-1, although a 5-0 victory would have been even better from their perspective.  Once they dropped the men’s doubles, a 4-1 victory was the best they could hope for but this would have meant that all three teams would finish with a 5-5 record in matches and the difference in games won and lost would be the determining criterion.  India had already finished having won 11 games and lost 10.

After Fitriani won her match 2-1, the Indonesian record stood at 10-12, while Denmark was at 12-11.  At this point, only a straight-game women’s doubles win would have given Indonesia a better record in games won and lost.  Denmark taking the first game meant that the Indonesian best possible became 12-13, while the Danes could do no worse than 13-13.

**Update**

The win in the final women’s doubles match served to improve Denmark’s match record, breaking the potential deadlock.  Losing only 2-3 means that Denmark finishes 6-4 in matches, with India at 5-5, and Indonesia at 4-6.  Denmark tops the group.

The 8 qualifiers for Sudirman Cup quarter-finals are shown below:

Photo:  Mikael Ropars / Badmintonphoto (live)