Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Anders Antonsen Keeps Game-by-Game Focus at World Championships
Anders Antonsen has reached the quarterfinals of the badminton World Championships.
He got there by defeating Toma Junior Popov.
The match was fast and involved many quick, flat shots.
Some highly ranked players have already lost, making Antonsen’s path look easier.
However, he does not want to think too far ahead.
He plans to focus only on his next match.
That match is against Kodai Naraoka of Japan, whom he knows well.
Antonsen says their quarterfinal is an even contest because both players have beaten each other before.
He will also use rest, stretching and careful analysis to prepare.
Anders Antonsen advanced to the BWF World Championships quarterfinals after beating Toma Junior Popov.
The Dane said he will not change his game-by-game approach despite several elite players exiting the draw.
Antonsen described his match against Popov as fast-paced and focused on flat play.
He will face Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in a quarterfinal he considers evenly balanced.
Antonsen plans to prioritize relaxation, massage, stretching and constant match analysis during recovery.
- Who
- Anders Antonsen, Toma Junior Popov and Kodai Naraoka.
- What
- Antonsen reached the quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships and will play Naraoka next.
- When
- During the 2026 BWF World Championships.
- Where
- The articles do not specify the tournament venue.
- Why
- Antonsen is seeking to advance to the semifinals while maintaining a match-by-match approach.
- Event
- BWF World Championships 2026
- Quarterfinalist
- Anders Antonsen
- Previous opponent
- Toma Junior Popov
- Quarterfinal opponent
- Kodai Naraoka
- Match assessment
- Antonsen described the Naraoka quarterfinal as a 50-50 match.
- Recovery plan
- He said he will relax between matches, get a massage, stretch and use cold treatment.
- Mental approach
- Antonsen constantly evaluates what is going wrong and what can be changed during matches.