King Cup 2025: Lanier’s Clean Sweep and Antonsen’s Gritty Comeback

Highlights

• Lanier’s Composed Victory – Alex Lanier showed dominance and control, securing a straight-sets win over Victor Lai. Despite a tense second game that was tied 19-19, Lanier’s consistent pressure and tempo management sealed a 21-14, 21-19 victory.
• Antonsen’s Dramatic Comeback – Anders Antonsen survived a major scare, rallying from a stunning 9-21 first-game loss to Liu Yangmingyu. He weathered an aggressive storm and used his defensive resilience to win the next two games 21-14, 21-15, completing a remarkable three-set comeback.
• The Toll of Aggressive Play – The day illustrated a classic tactical battle, where Liu Yangmingyu’s early explosive aggression ultimately led to fatigue and errors, allowing Antonsen’s steady defense to prevail in a match defined by endurance and shifting momentum.

The King Cup Badminton Open 2025 kicked off with a spectacular display of skill and stamina on Day 1. Fans were treated to high-quality badminton, featuring a clinical performance by Alex Lanier and a dramatic three-set thriller involving Anders Antonsen.

Lanier Holds Firm Against Lai

The opening match saw Alex Lanier take on Victor Lai in a battle characterized by solid defense and sharp attacking exchanges. From the very first serve, Lanier adopted a high-pressure strategy, forcing Lai onto the back foot. Lanier controlled the tempo effectively to secure a comfortable 21-14 victory in the first game.

The second game proved to be a much tougher test. Although Lanier continued his aggressive pressing, Lai found his rhythm, managing to turn the tables and lead at the mid-game interval. The intensity ramped up as both players fought tooth and nail, locking the score at a tense 19-19. In the crucial final moments, Lanier’s relentless pressure paid off, forcing Lai into submission to close the match 21-19 in straight sets.

Antonsen Survives Liu’s Aggressive Storm

The second match of the day was a contrast of styles between Liu Yangmingyu and Anders Antonsen. Liu came out of the gates firing, displaying incredible aggression with sharp, accurate smashes that left Antonsen scrambling. Liu dominated the opener completely, stunning the Dane with a massive 21-9 scoreline.

Liu continued his fine form early in the second game, but the momentum shifted after the interval. As unforced errors began to creep into Liu’s game, Antonsen utilized his signature defensive style to slow the pace and capitalize on his opponent’s mistakes. Antonsen leveled the match by taking the second game 21-14.

The deciding rubber game was a battle of endurance. Liu Yangmingyu started strong once again, maintaining his aggressive approach to lead 11-7 at the interval. However, the high-energy style eventually took its toll. Visibly fatigued, Liu struggled to keep up with Antonsen’s consistent returns. Antonsen’s “defensive wall” drained Liu’s remaining energy, leading to a series of late errors from the challenger. Antonsen completed the comeback, winning the decider 21-15 to advance to the next round.