Great Escape: Anders Antonsen Saves Match Points to Edges Nhat Nguyen in 102-Minute World Championship Thriller
NEW DELHI — Denmark’s fourth seed Anders Antonsen survived one of the most nerve-wracking matches of his career on Thursday, defying a sensational performance from Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen to narrowly secure a place in the Round of 16 at the BWF World Championships 2026.
In a championship already characterized by dangerous upsets for top seeds, Antonsen stood two match points down in the deciding game before completing a dramatic comeback to win 21-23, 21-19, 23-21 in an exhausting 102 minutes.
A Hawkeye Lifeline on the Brink of Defeat
The defining moment of the marathon contest arrived with Nguyen holding two match points in the final game.
After a tense rally, Antonsen played a tight return close to the baseline that was called “out” on court. Believing his career-defining victory was sealed, Nguyen walked up to congratulate the Dane. However, Antonsen challenged the line call with a Hawk-Eye referral.
To the amazement of the arena, the review revealed that the shuttle had fractionally clipped the line, overturning the call and giving Antonsen a crucial lifeline.
“He came up to me and congratulated me. Then the referral showed it was in, and I went blank for a moment,” Nguyen admitted following the emotional finish.
Capitalizing on the reprieve, Antonsen produced a flawless rally to level the score at 20-20. Though Nguyen managed to save one match point himself, the momentum had decisively shifted, allowing the world-class Dane to edge past the finish line.
“Best Performance of My Career”
Despite the heartbreaking outcome, the 26-year-old Irishman delivered what he described as the standout match of his professional life, matching Antonsen stroke-for-stroke in a high-level tactical duel.
“It was a fantastic match,” said a visibly emotional Nguyen after leaving everything on the court. “I brought the fight to Anders today. Two challenges, I thought they were out, but that’s sport sometimes. I don’t think I have anything left, I was almost cramping at the end.”
Nguyen reflected on his performance with pride despite missing out on a historic victory: “Luck wasn’t on my side, but Anders is a world-class athlete. I can take pride that I was almost there, but almost isn’t enough… At this moment I have no regrets. I left it all out there. I believe it was the best performance of my career.”
With the victory, Antonsen avoids the fate of several other high-ranking stars and advances to the Round of 16, keeping his quest for a fifth World Championship medal alive.
Match Summary
- Event: Men’s Singles (Round of 32)
- Match: Anders Antonsen (DEN) [4] def. Nhat Nguyen (IRL)
- Score: 21-23, 21-19, 23-21
- Duration: 102 minutes (1 Hour, 42 Minutes)
