Anders Antonsen made a convincing return to competition by defeating French rival Toma Junior Popov in the opening round of the Japan Open.
The Danish world No. 3 needed 45 minutes to secure a 21-17, 21-13 victory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Wednesday.
It was Antonsen’s first tournament appearance since losing to Alex Lanier in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open at the end of May. His performance suggested the extended break had done little to affect his sharpness.
According to Flashscore’s report from the Japan Open, the victory extended Antonsen’s remarkable unbeaten record against Popov to 13 matches.
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Antonsen controls opening challenge
Popov provided resistance during the first game, but Antonsen remained composed during the important closing exchanges.
The Dane converted a narrow advantage into a 21-17 success before taking greater control in the second game. He restricted Popov to 13 points and completed the match without being forced into a deciding game.
The result was particularly encouraging given the strength of the opponent. The BWF rankings published on July 7 placed Antonsen third in the world and Popov 16th.
Despite regularly meeting at leading international tournaments, Popov has yet to defeat the Danish player.
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Their previous encounters include Antonsen’s straight-games victory in the 2024 European Championship final, where he claimed his second continental singles title.
Return follows successful first half of season
Antonsen entered the Japan Open following a strong opening half of 2026.
He won the Thailand Open in May after overcoming Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a 97-minute final. The victory was his first tournament title of the season and came after he recovered from losing the opening game heavily.
He then reached the Singapore Open quarter-finals, where Lanier came from behind to defeat him 14-21, 21-16, 21-16.
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Antonsen subsequently stayed away from tournament competition for approximately six weeks before returning in Tokyo.
The break gave him time to prepare for a demanding period that includes the Japan Open and the individual World Championships in New Delhi in August. Badminton Denmark has already selected Antonsen and Rasmus Gemke for the men’s singles competition at the World Championships.
Danish opponent remains possible
Antonsen will face either fellow Dane Rasmus Gemke or Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah in the second round.
Their opening-round match was still to be completed when Antonsen secured his place in the last 16.
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A victory for Gemke would produce an all-Danish meeting and guarantee the country a player in the quarter-finals. Ubaidillah, meanwhile, represents a less familiar challenge for Antonsen and has risen rapidly through the international rankings.
The official BWF tournament page confirms that the Super 750 event runs from July 14 to 19 and carries total prize money of $950,000.
Antonsen has previously performed well at the Japan Open, reaching the semi-finals in 2022.
His immediate objective will be to build on a controlled opening performance. After six weeks without competitive badminton, a straight-games victory over a top-20 opponent represented an ideal return.
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