There will be no time to play calmly for the Danish badminton women at the upcoming Uber Cup, team WC for women, when it kicks off in Bangkok on Sunday.

In the opening match, Denmark will face Malaysia, which in advance resembles the opponent the Danes will be fighting for second place in the group with.

The home team Thailand looks like the group’s strongest team, and since it is number one and two in the group, which advances to the quarter finals, an opening victory is crucial for Denmark.

One of Denmark’s experienced players, the doubles specialist Sara Thygesen, also acknowledges that the meeting with Malaysia is crucial for the dream of a quarter-final place.

– It’s it. We are chasing all the chances we get, also against Thailand, where we also have some opportunities. But yes, on paper it is Malaysia we are in a direct duel with. It will be from 0-0 the first day, so it’s straight on and hard, she says.

– It will be an exciting and even match, which will hopefully be to our advantage.

The group’s last team, Egypt, must be assumed to be floggers in the strong company.

Denmark currently has no top-10 women players in either singles or doubles. Therefore, like the men in the Thomas Cup, you do not have obvious victories on paper, as Viktor Axelsen and Anders Antonsen are on the Thomas Cup team.

On the other hand, Sara Thygesen believes that the breadth of the Danish Uber Cup team is great. Therefore, you can muster five matches, where there is at least the opportunity to push the opponent in all matches.

– We have four reasonably good women’s singles who can sometimes beat each other crosswise. In that respect, we also have a fairly broad women’s singles group, just as we have a broad team in the women’s doubles, she assesses.

With her 31 years, Sara Thygesen is the team’s oldest and one of the experienced, who has to carry some of the pressure on her shoulders.

Since the latest Uber Cup was back in October last year due to corona exposure, all players on the team have actually tried their hand at the World Cup before.

On that occasion, Denmark reached the quarterfinals – among other things by beating Malaysia in the group stage.

Therefore, Thygesen also believes that there is reason for optimism on the team.

– We are well composed as a team, and we get along well with each other. It also makes a difference if you are young or new when you join. But now several have also tried it before, so they know well what it is, she says.

Denmark’s group matches are played on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. There are quarterfinals May 12, semifinals May 13 and finals May 14.