Denmark blank India 3-0 in Thomas Cup

Tokyo, May 3 (UNI) India's campaign in the Thomas Cup came to an end after a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of formidable Denmark in the quaterfinals here today.

Peter Gade gave Denmark one up, dashing India's number one player Chetan Anand's hope of an upset win wrapping up the match in straight games in just 27 minutes.

Anand, who sat out Monday's pre-quarterfinals match against New Zealand due to blisters on his foot, could not offer much resistance to the world number three Dane and lost the first game 14-21 in 17 minutes.

The 24th ranked Indian, who lost to the same opponent in Singapore Open last year, was off colour in the second game and surrendered meekly 8-21 in 11 minutes.

Anup Sridhar, ranked 64th in the world, failed to produce a fightback against Kenneth Jonassen and the Dane, ranked fifth in the world, made it 2-0 taking 34 minutes to beat Sridhar.

With their back on the wall, Rupesh Kumar and V Diju tried to come back in the reckoning in doubles against world's top pair of Jens Eriksen and Martin Hansen Lundgaard and, after conceding the first game 14-21, the Indian pair led the Danes 10-5 in the secod only to squander it and lost narrowly by 19-21.

Earlier, holders China trounced England 3-0 and stormed into the semi-finals.

Results: Peter Gade bt Chetan Anand 21-14, 21-8 Kenneth Jonassen bt Anup Sridhar 21-12, 21-11 Jens Eriksen and Martin Hansen Lundgaard bt Rupesh Kumar and V Diju 21-14, 21-19.

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