Antonsen welcomes the rise of the young guns

KUALA LUMPUR: At 28, Anders Antonsen is finding fresh motivation in a role he never imagined occupying so soon — measuring himself against players nearly a decade younger as men's singles enters a new generational phase.

The world No. 3 showed his experience at Axiata Arena today by brushing aside Canada's world No. 22 Victor Lai 21-16, 21-15 in the second round of the Malaysia Open, extending his run in a tournament where he finished runner-up last year.

Antonsen, who will be turning 29 in April, said facing the sport's emerging names has become a source of renewed drive rather than discomfort, as he adjusts to life on tour as one of the senior figures.

"I've always felt like the young up-and-coming talent, playing against guys who were older than me," said Antonsen after his win over Lai.

"Now I'm 28 and suddenly I'm facing players who are eight, sometimes 10 years younger, and that's a very motivating challenge for me."

The Dane acknowledged that the physical intensity brought by the new generation has raised the standard across the men's singles field, forcing established players to constantly reassess their limits.

"They are very, very good and very talented, and physically in great shape as well," he said.

"I've already faced almost all of the young guys around that age, and I really enjoy testing myself against them."

Antonsen, the 2024 Malaysia Open champion, also highlighted how the rise of players from non-traditional badminton nations has added a new dimension to the tour, pointing to the growing diversity at the top level.

"It's not just coming from one country anymore," he said.

"You see players coming up from all over the world, like Victor from Canada, and that's great for badminton."

Against Lai, Antonsen relied on his composure and tactical discipline to control the tempo, absorbing pressure before asserting himself in the latter stages of both games.

The victory underlined his consistency at Axiata Arena, where he has regularly gone deep into the draw, and reinforced his credentials as one of the players the next generation must overcome to establish themselves.

Antonsen will next face either Taiwan's Chou Tien Chen or Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in the quarter-finals, a test that could further underline his staying power amid the sport's changing landscape.