Axelsen leads 5-0 rout in Thomas Cup

BANGKOK: World badminton number one Viktor Axelsen led Denmark’s Thomas Cup 5-0 demolition of Algeria on Monday, as Japan’s women also breezed past Canada without dropping a set.Axelsen was in unforgiving form, losing just 12 points in a 16-minute destruction (21-4, 21-8) of Youcef Sabri Medel to begin the rout of Algeria.

Anders Antonsen dispatched Mohamed Abderrahime Belarbi 21-5, 21-9 in the second singles match, while Denmark’s doubles pairs also blitzed their unfancied rivals. Elsewhere in Group D, Malaysia steamrolled Russia 5-0 with Lee Chong Wei setting the tone in the first game during a 21-9, 21-6 win against Vladimir Malkov. Nozomi Okuhura got Japan’s women off to another flyer, beating Canada’s Michelle Li 21-16, 21-17, and helping her country prevail

5-0 for the second day in a row. Japan’s women are tipped to unseat China at

this year’s Uber Cup, with a strong singles and doubles line-up.