Thomas Cup
Encyclopedia
The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton
competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. The championships have been conducted every two years since the 1982 tournament
, amended from being conducted every three years since the first tournament held in 1948-1949
.
The final phase of the tournament involves twelve teams competing at venues within a host nation and is played concurrently with the final phase of the world women's team championships, the Uber Cup
( first held in 1956-1957
). Since 1984 the two competitions have been held jointly at the various stages of play.
Of the twenty-six Thomas Cup tournaments held since 1948-1949, only three nations have won the title. Indonesia
is the most successful team, having won the tournament thirteen times. The current cup holder, China
, which did not begin to compete until the 1982 series, follows Indonesia with eight titles, while Malaysia
has won five titles. Thomas Cup and, to a lesser extent, Uber Cup are the world's "biggest" and most prestigious regularly held badminton events in terms of player and fan interest, trumping major tournaments for individual competitors such as the venerable All-England Championships
, the BWF World Championships
, and even the badminton competitions at the Olympic Games
.
The final phase of the most recent edition of Thomas Cup in 2010
was contested in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia. The 2012 tournament will be held in Wuhan
, China
from May 20–27, 2012.
, a highly successful English
badminton player of the early 1900's, who was inspired by tennis's Davis Cup
, and football's (soccer's) World Cup
first held in 1930
. His idea was well received at the general meeting of the International Badminton Federation
(now Badminton World Federation) in 1939.
In the same year, Sir George presented the Thomas Cup, officially known as The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup, produced by Atkin Bros of London
at a cost of US$40,000. The Cup stands 28 inches high and 16 inches across at its widest, and consists of three parts: a plinth (pedestal), a bowl, and a lid with player figure .
The first tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 (badminton seasons in the northern hemisphere traditionally ran from the autumn of one calendar year to the spring of the next), but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents. Sir George's dream was finally realized in 1948-1949 when ten national teams participated in the first Thomas Cup competition. Three qualifying zones were established: Pan America, Europe, and the Pacific; though Malaya
(now Malaysia) was the only Pacific zone participant. In a format that would last until 1984, all ties (matches between nations) would consist of nine individual matches; the victorious nation needing to win at least five of these contests. The top two singles players for each side faced both of the top two players for the opposite side, accounting for four matches. A fifth singles match took place between the third ranked singles players for each team. Finally, two doubles pairings for each side played both of the doubles pairings for the opposite side, accounting for four more matches. Each tie was normally contested over two days, four matches on the first day and five on the next.The United States
and Denmark
won their respective zone qualifications and thus joined Malaya for the inter-zone ties.
The inter-zone ties were held in the United Kingdom
. As the tournament used a knockout (single elimination) system, rather than a round-robin
system, one country, Denmark, was given a bye in the first round. Malaya defeated the USA 6–3 in a highly competitive match played in Glasgow
, Scotland
(curiously, none of the players on either side had previously seen any of the players on the other side play). Of note, this tie marked the first of only three ever matches between the USA's Dave Freeman
and Malaya's Wong Peng Soon
the two greatest singles players of the early post-war period. In the final round held in Preston, England
, Malaya beat Denmark 8–1 and became the first nation to win a Thomas Cup.
. Beginning with the second tournament in 1951-1952
, zone winners contested to determine a challenger for the reigning champion nation. Until 1964 the Cup-holding nation always hosted these inter-zone ties but was exempt from them, and from the earlier intra-zone matches, needing only to defend its title, at home, in a single, conclusive challenge round tie.
With veterans such as Wong Peng Soon
. Ooi Teik Hock
, and Ong Poh Lim
leading the way Malaya comfortably retained the Cup in Singapore against the USA (7–2) in 1952
and Denmark (8–1) in 1955
. Malaya's reign, however, was ended in 1958
(3 matches to 6) by upstart Indonesia
led by Ferry Sonneville
and Tan Joe Hok
. Indonesia successfully defended its title in 1961
against a young team from Thailand
which had surprised Denmark in the inter-zone final.
Amid some complaints of home court advantage (and "home climate" advantage as far as the Europeans were concerned), a rules change effective in 1964
prevented the reigning champion nation from defending the Cup at home twice in succession. The challenge round played in Tokyo, Japan that year was nonetheless controversial because the Danish challengers
were barracked and severely harassed during play by young Indonesian fans. A narrow 5–4 Indonesian victory was upheld by the IBF (BWF) over Danish protest. When the challenge round returned to Jakarta in 1967
a resurgent Malaysia led Indonesia 4–3 (despite the spectacular debut of Indonesia's young Rudy Hartono
) when crowd interference during the eighth match prompted tournament referee Herbert Scheele to halt play. When Indonesia rejected an IBF (BWF) decision to resume the contest in New Zealand, Malaysia was awarded the outstanding matches (6–3) and with them the Thomas Cup.
After 1967 the IBF (BWF) further reduced the advantages accorded to the defending champion by eliminating the old challenge round system. Instead, the Cup defender would receive a bye only to an inter-zone semifinal berth and then have to earn its way into the decisive final match. This change, however, proved to be little obstacle for a rampant Indonesia. With a cadre of talented players including Hartono
and doubles wizards such as Tjun Tjun
and Christian Hadinata
, Indonesia dominated Thomas Cup competition throughout the seventies. Its successful effort to regain the cup in 1969-1970
was a struggle, but in the competitions ending in 1973
, 1976
, and 1979
Indonesia swept its ties by winning a remarkable 51 of 54 individual matches.
In 1982
, however, China
burst onto the scene as a new member of the IBF (BWF). Having long before developed players as good as, or better than, any in the world (especially in singles), China defeated Indonesia in a classic 5–4 final in London. Thus began an era continuing to the present which has seen either China or Indonesia capture or retain the Cup. The pattern has been broken only once, by Malaysia
in 1992.
. Starting in 1984 they were held concurrently, every two years not three, with equivalent phases of the two competitions held at the same venues and times. Ties at all stages of the Thomas Cup were trimmed from nine matches to five, played in one day not two. Lineups continued to consist of three singles players and two doubles teams, but each now played a single match against the opposing team's counterpart.
ties followed by playoffs between group leaders. As few as one or as many as three teams from a given venue (depending on the previously assessed strength of its field) would qualify for the final phase of the competition which until 2004 was limited to eight teams. The number of qualifying venues prior to 2004 varied between two and four and their sites basically reflected the long existent loci of badminton strength in the Far East and (to a lesser extent) in Europe (see chart below).
The European qualifying venue usually hosted the greatest number of teams and to streamline play and create more competitive ties, a two tiered system was eventually instituted there. Weaker badminton nations played-off in groups for the right to contest with the stronger national teams. To have an easier road to the inter-zone competition strong Asian teams sometimes competed outside of their "natural" qualification venue. Rising power South Korea
, for example, won qualifications held in North America in 1986 and in 1988.
Below shows the qualification slots in tournament history:
play within each group determined first and second place group finishers who then advanced to the semifinals. Each semifinal tie pitted the top finisher in one group against the second place finisher in the other, with the winners proceeding to the championship match. A playoff for third place between losing semifinalists was instituted in 1984 but was dropped in 1990.
In 2004 The BWF increased the number of Thomas Cup qualifying venues to five, one for each of five regional confederations (Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Pan America) that it had established. It also increased the number of teams qualifying for the final phase of competition to twelve. While all confederations were guaranteed to send at least one qualifier to the final phase, strong regions such as Asia might send several (see chart above). At the finals the twelve qualifying teams were divided into four groups of three teams with round-robin play within each group. Round-robin winners were then placed in separate quarter-final berths of a knockout (single elimination) tournament to await opponents determined by matches between the second place finisher of one group and the third place finisher of another. The draw was played out and the winner of this tournament within a tournament became the Thomas Cup champion.
China has captured the Cup on eight occasions including the last four in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. It has contested the final tie ten times and, like Indonesia, has never failed to place among the top four teams. Malaysia has won five times, the last being in 1992. It has played in the final tie on thirteen occasions. Since the format change in 1984 it has reached the "final four" nine of thirteen times.
Despite its small population, Denmark has traditionally been Europe's strongest power in men's badminton and the strongest badminton nation not to have captured the Thomas Cup. The only European nation to have played in the final tie, it has finished second eight times spanning from the first competition in 1949 to the 2006 tournament. The USA, a power in the early days of international badminton (especially in women's competition), finished second to Malaya in 1952 but thereafter steadily fell behind the leading badminton nations. Thailand, with a king who promoted the sport, produced outstanding players at the time of its run to the final in 1961, and for some years after that, but has since descended to a lower rung on the international ladder.
Among all the other contending nations, South Korea has the best record. Rising to prominence in the 1980's, and especially strong in doubles, it had reached the "final four" six times before finally reaching the "final two" in 2008 to become the runner-up. Japan produced highly competitive teams in the late 1960's and the 1970's as its women were winning Uber Cup championships. Both its men and its women have fallen back since. India nearly reached the final twice in the 1950's. Despite some fine individual players it has lacked the depth, particularly in doubles, to seriously contend for the Cup. In Europe, England and Sweden have usually joined Denmark in advancing to the final phase of Thomas Cup competition since 1984. England, traditionally more successful in women's play than in men's, had its best showing in 1984 with a third place finish. Sweden, whose greatest badminton success spanned from the late 1960's to the mid 1980's, has yet to advance to the semifinal round of Thomas Cup's final phase.
Below is the list of seven nations that have finished in the top two in Thomas Cup.
As of the 2010 championship twenty-three teams have advanced to the final venue over the history of the Thomas Cup competition. Among them Denmark has reached this final stage in all twenty-five competitions (and without ever receiving a bye to it). Indonesia and China have also advanced to the final stage in each competition that they have entered. Geographically, nine Asian nations have qualified to play at the final venue. Seven European nations have done so. The United States
, Canada
and Peru
are the only Pan American teams to have reached this stage, and New Zealand and Australia, as one might expect, have been the only teams to represent Oceania. South Africa and Nigeria have qualified from the African zone.
Below is the list of teams that have appeared in the final stage of Thomas Cup as of the 2010 tournament
.
26 times
23 times
15 times
14 times
11 times
10 times
8 times
5 times
4 times
3 times
1 time
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. The championships have been conducted every two years since the 1982 tournament
1982 Thomas Cup
The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final round was held in London, England.China won its first title after beating Indonesia in the final round.-Teams:...
, amended from being conducted every three years since the first tournament held in 1948-1949
1949 Thomas Cup
The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world.The tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 , but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents...
.
The final phase of the tournament involves twelve teams competing at venues within a host nation and is played concurrently with the final phase of the world women's team championships, the Uber Cup
Uber Cup
The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams. First held in 1956-1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled...
( first held in 1956-1957
1957 Uber Cup
The 1957 Uber Cup was the inaugural Uber Cup; a women's international team badminton championship promoted by Betty Uber. Eleven nations took part competing first within zones to qualify for interzone matches. The final round was held in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England on 18 March 1957...
). Since 1984 the two competitions have been held jointly at the various stages of play.
Of the twenty-six Thomas Cup tournaments held since 1948-1949, only three nations have won the title. Indonesia
Indonesia national badminton team
The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia...
is the most successful team, having won the tournament thirteen times. The current cup holder, China
China national badminton team
The China national badminton team represents the People's Republic of China in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association of the People's Republic of China, the governing body for badminton in China....
, which did not begin to compete until the 1982 series, follows Indonesia with eight titles, while Malaysia
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
has won five titles. Thomas Cup and, to a lesser extent, Uber Cup are the world's "biggest" and most prestigious regularly held badminton events in terms of player and fan interest, trumping major tournaments for individual competitors such as the venerable All-England Championships
All England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
, the BWF World Championships
BWF World Championships
The BWF World Championships is a tournament organized by the Badminton World Federation to crown the best badminton players in the world....
, and even the badminton competitions at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
The final phase of the most recent edition of Thomas Cup in 2010
2010 Thomas & Uber Cup
The 2010 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 26th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 23rd tournament of the Uber Cup, the most important and most prestigious badminton tournaments in men's and women's team competition, respectively...
was contested in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia. The 2012 tournament will be held in Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
from May 20–27, 2012.
First Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition was the idea of Sir George Alan ThomasGeorge Alan Thomas
Sir George Alan Thomas, Bart. was a British badminton, tennis and chess player. He was twice British Chess Champion and a 21-time All-England Badminton champion. He also played in the semi-finals of the men's tennis doubles at Wimbledon in 1911...
, a highly successful English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
badminton player of the early 1900's, who was inspired by tennis's Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
, and football's (soccer's) World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
first held in 1930
1930 FIFA World Cup
The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
. His idea was well received at the general meeting of the International Badminton Federation
International Badminton Federation
The Badminton World Federation is the international governing body for the sport of badminton. Founded in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member nations , the BWF has since expanded to 165 member nations around the world...
(now Badminton World Federation) in 1939.
In the same year, Sir George presented the Thomas Cup, officially known as The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup, produced by Atkin Bros of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at a cost of US$40,000. The Cup stands 28 inches high and 16 inches across at its widest, and consists of three parts: a plinth (pedestal), a bowl, and a lid with player figure .
The first tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 (badminton seasons in the northern hemisphere traditionally ran from the autumn of one calendar year to the spring of the next), but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents. Sir George's dream was finally realized in 1948-1949 when ten national teams participated in the first Thomas Cup competition. Three qualifying zones were established: Pan America, Europe, and the Pacific; though Malaya
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
(now Malaysia) was the only Pacific zone participant. In a format that would last until 1984, all ties (matches between nations) would consist of nine individual matches; the victorious nation needing to win at least five of these contests. The top two singles players for each side faced both of the top two players for the opposite side, accounting for four matches. A fifth singles match took place between the third ranked singles players for each team. Finally, two doubles pairings for each side played both of the doubles pairings for the opposite side, accounting for four more matches. Each tie was normally contested over two days, four matches on the first day and five on the next.The United States
United States national badminton team
The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1952 - Runner-upUber Cup *1957 - Winner*1960 - Winner*1963 - Winner...
and Denmark
Denmark national badminton team
The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions...
won their respective zone qualifications and thus joined Malaya for the inter-zone ties.
The inter-zone ties were held in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As the tournament used a knockout (single elimination) system, rather than a round-robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
system, one country, Denmark, was given a bye in the first round. Malaya defeated the USA 6–3 in a highly competitive match played in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(curiously, none of the players on either side had previously seen any of the players on the other side play). Of note, this tie marked the first of only three ever matches between the USA's Dave Freeman
David G. Freeman
Dr. David G. Freeman was an American badminton player from California who became an icon in the sport's history.-Badminton career:...
and Malaya's Wong Peng Soon
Wong Peng Soon
Wong Peng Soon, MBE was an Ethnic Chinese badminton player who reigned as a top player in Malaya from the 1930s to the 1950s...
the two greatest singles players of the early post-war period. In the final round held in Preston, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Malaya beat Denmark 8–1 and became the first nation to win a Thomas Cup.
Development
During the next several Thomas Cup competitions the number of participating nations grew and a fourth qualifying zone was added. The former Pacific zone was converted into Asian and Australasian zones for the 1954-1955 tournament1955 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter...
. Beginning with the second tournament in 1951-1952
1952 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter has been held every two years. Twelve national teams contested for the Thomas Cup in the 1951-1952 badminton season, the...
, zone winners contested to determine a challenger for the reigning champion nation. Until 1964 the Cup-holding nation always hosted these inter-zone ties but was exempt from them, and from the earlier intra-zone matches, needing only to defend its title, at home, in a single, conclusive challenge round tie.
With veterans such as Wong Peng Soon
Wong Peng Soon
Wong Peng Soon, MBE was an Ethnic Chinese badminton player who reigned as a top player in Malaya from the 1930s to the 1950s...
. Ooi Teik Hock
Ooi Teik Hock
Ooi Teik Hock was a Malayan badminton player who won Malayan national titles and represented his country in team and individual competition between 1939 and 1958. Teik Hock played on four consecutive Malayan Thomas Cup teams the first three of which claimed world titles...
, and Ong Poh Lim
Ong Poh Lim
Ong Poh Lim was a Malayan/Singaporean badminton player who won numerous national and international titles from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. In 1954 he shared the prestigious All-England men's doubles title with Ooi Teik Hock, having previously reached the finals of both singles and doubles...
leading the way Malaya comfortably retained the Cup in Singapore against the USA (7–2) in 1952
1952 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter has been held every two years. Twelve national teams contested for the Thomas Cup in the 1951-1952 badminton season, the...
and Denmark (8–1) in 1955
1955 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter...
. Malaya's reign, however, was ended in 1958
1958 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter. Nineteen teams contested for the Thomas Cup during the 1957-1958 season...
(3 matches to 6) by upstart Indonesia
Indonesia national badminton team
The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia...
led by Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville was an Indonesian badminton player noted for his touch, consistency, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure...
and Tan Joe Hok
Tan Joe Hok
Tan Joe Hok is an Indonesian badminton hero, who along with Ferry Sonneville and a cadre of fine doubles players set the foundation for an Indonesian badminton dynasty by dethroning perennial Thomas Cup champion Malaysia in 1958.He lived in Bandung until he finished high school. He received his B.S...
. Indonesia successfully defended its title in 1961
1961 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter every two years...
against a young team from Thailand
Thailand national badminton team
The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1958 - Final round *1961 - Runner-up*1964 - Final round *1973 - Semi-finalist...
which had surprised Denmark in the inter-zone final.
Amid some complaints of home court advantage (and "home climate" advantage as far as the Europeans were concerned), a rules change effective in 1964
1964 Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter it has been held every two years...
prevented the reigning champion nation from defending the Cup at home twice in succession. The challenge round played in Tokyo, Japan that year was nonetheless controversial because the Danish challengers
Denmark national badminton team
The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions...
were barracked and severely harassed during play by young Indonesian fans. A narrow 5–4 Indonesian victory was upheld by the IBF (BWF) over Danish protest. When the challenge round returned to Jakarta in 1967
1967 Thomas Cup
The 1967 Thomas Cup was the 7th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The inter-zone matches and Challenge Round finale were held in Jakarta, Indonesia....
a resurgent Malaysia led Indonesia 4–3 (despite the spectacular debut of Indonesia's young Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono Kurniawan , born August 18, 1949) is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who won the men's singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively , in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the...
) when crowd interference during the eighth match prompted tournament referee Herbert Scheele to halt play. When Indonesia rejected an IBF (BWF) decision to resume the contest in New Zealand, Malaysia was awarded the outstanding matches (6–3) and with them the Thomas Cup.
After 1967 the IBF (BWF) further reduced the advantages accorded to the defending champion by eliminating the old challenge round system. Instead, the Cup defender would receive a bye only to an inter-zone semifinal berth and then have to earn its way into the decisive final match. This change, however, proved to be little obstacle for a rampant Indonesia. With a cadre of talented players including Hartono
Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono Kurniawan , born August 18, 1949) is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who won the men's singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively , in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the...
and doubles wizards such as Tjun Tjun
Tjun Tjun
Tjun Tjun is a former Chinese-Indonesian badminton player. Though a singles player early in his career, he became one of the sport's greatest doubles specialists. His game was notable for its speed, power, accuracy, and aggressiveness...
and Christian Hadinata
Christian Hadinata
Christian Hadinata is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player.Though early in his career he was a fine singles player who reached the final of the prestigious All-England Championship in 1973, Christian's success in doubles earned him recognition as one of great doubles players in badminton...
, Indonesia dominated Thomas Cup competition throughout the seventies. Its successful effort to regain the cup in 1969-1970
1970 Thomas Cup
The 1970 Thomas Cup was the 8th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final set of ties were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia....
was a struggle, but in the competitions ending in 1973
1973 Thomas Cup
The 1973 Thomas Cup was the 9th edition of the Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team badminton . The final set of ties involving regional zone winners and the defending champion nation were held in Jakarta, Indonesia in late May and early June 1973...
, 1976
1976 Thomas Cup
The 1976 Thomas Cup was the 10th edition of Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team badminton . The final rounds contested by qualifying teams were held in Bangkok, Thailand in late May and early June...
, and 1979
1979 Thomas Cup
The 1979 Thomas Cup was the 11th edition of the Thomas Cup competition, the world championship of men's international team badminton. The final rounds contested by qualifying zone winners and defending champion Indonesia were held in Jakarta, Indonesia in late May and early June...
Indonesia swept its ties by winning a remarkable 51 of 54 individual matches.
In 1982
1982 Thomas Cup
The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final round was held in London, England.China won its first title after beating Indonesia in the final round.-Teams:...
, however, China
China national badminton team
The China national badminton team represents the People's Republic of China in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association of the People's Republic of China, the governing body for badminton in China....
burst onto the scene as a new member of the IBF (BWF). Having long before developed players as good as, or better than, any in the world (especially in singles), China defeated Indonesia in a classic 5–4 final in London. Thus began an era continuing to the present which has seen either China or Indonesia capture or retain the Cup. The pattern has been broken only once, by Malaysia
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
in 1992.
Revised format
In the early 1980's the IBF (BWF) revamped the formats of both Thomas Cup and the women's world team championship, the Uber CupUber Cup
The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams. First held in 1956-1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled...
. Starting in 1984 they were held concurrently, every two years not three, with equivalent phases of the two competitions held at the same venues and times. Ties at all stages of the Thomas Cup were trimmed from nine matches to five, played in one day not two. Lineups continued to consist of three singles players and two doubles teams, but each now played a single match against the opposing team's counterpart.
Qualification
The old knockout (single elimination) zone qualification system in which each tie was played at a separate venue and time was eliminated. Instead, common qualifying venues brought many teams together to contend in group round-robinRound-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
ties followed by playoffs between group leaders. As few as one or as many as three teams from a given venue (depending on the previously assessed strength of its field) would qualify for the final phase of the competition which until 2004 was limited to eight teams. The number of qualifying venues prior to 2004 varied between two and four and their sites basically reflected the long existent loci of badminton strength in the Far East and (to a lesser extent) in Europe (see chart below).
The European qualifying venue usually hosted the greatest number of teams and to streamline play and create more competitive ties, a two tiered system was eventually instituted there. Weaker badminton nations played-off in groups for the right to contest with the stronger national teams. To have an easier road to the inter-zone competition strong Asian teams sometimes competed outside of their "natural" qualification venue. Rising power South Korea
Korea national badminton team
The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1984 - Fourth place*1992 - Semi-finalist*1996 - Semi-finalist*2000 - Semi-finalist*2004 - Semi-finalist...
, for example, won qualifications held in North America in 1986 and in 1988.
Below shows the qualification slots in tournament history:
| Year | Total | Zone | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 3 | European 1 |
Pacific 1 |
Pan American 1 |
|||||
| 1952 | 4 | Champions & host 1 |
European 1 |
Pacific 1 |
Pan American 1 |
||||
| 1955 – 1973, 1979 |
5 | Champions & host 1 |
Asian 1 |
Australasian 1 |
European 1 |
Pan American 1 |
|||
| 1976, 1982 | 6 | Champions & host 2 |
Asian 1 |
Australasian 1 |
European 1 |
Pan American 1 |
|||
| 1984 | 8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Asia - New Delhi) 1 |
Qualifying (held in Asia - Hong Kong) 1 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Pan America) 1 |
|||
| 1986 | 8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Asia) 2 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Pan America) 1 |
||||
| 1988 | 8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Asia) 1 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Oceania) 1 |
Qualifying (held in Pan America) 1 |
|||
| 1990 – 1994, 1998, 2000 |
8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Asia) 3 |
|||||
| 1996 | 8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Oceania) 3 |
|||||
| 2002 | 8 | Champions & host 2 |
Qualifying (held in Europe) 3 |
Qualifying (held in Oceania) 3 |
|||||
| 2004 | 12 | Champions & host 1 |
Asian 5 |
Africa 1 |
European 3 |
Oceania 1 |
Pan American 1 |
||
| 2006–2010 | 12 | Champions & host 2 |
Asian 4 |
Africa 1 |
European 3 |
Oceania 1 |
Pan American 1 |
||
Final tournament
From 1984 through 2002 the final phase of Thomas Cup competition brought eight competing teams together. These included the defending champion nation and the host nation exempt from earlier qualification ties. The format of this final phase largely mirrored that of the qualifying venues. The eight teams were divided into pools or groups of four. Round-robinRound-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
play within each group determined first and second place group finishers who then advanced to the semifinals. Each semifinal tie pitted the top finisher in one group against the second place finisher in the other, with the winners proceeding to the championship match. A playoff for third place between losing semifinalists was instituted in 1984 but was dropped in 1990.
In 2004 The BWF increased the number of Thomas Cup qualifying venues to five, one for each of five regional confederations (Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Pan America) that it had established. It also increased the number of teams qualifying for the final phase of competition to twelve. While all confederations were guaranteed to send at least one qualifier to the final phase, strong regions such as Asia might send several (see chart above). At the finals the twelve qualifying teams were divided into four groups of three teams with round-robin play within each group. Round-robin winners were then placed in separate quarter-final berths of a knockout (single elimination) tournament to await opponents determined by matches between the second place finisher of one group and the third place finisher of another. The draw was played out and the winner of this tournament within a tournament became the Thomas Cup champion.
1949 - 1982
| Year | Host | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||
| 1949 Details 1949 Thomas Cup The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world.The tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 , but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents... |
Preston, England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
8–1 | ||
| 1952 Details 1952 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter has been held every two years. Twelve national teams contested for the Thomas Cup in the 1951-1952 badminton season, the... |
Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
7–2 | ||
| 1955 Details 1955 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949, it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter... |
Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
8–1 | ||
| 1958 Details 1958 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and has been held every two years thereafter. Nineteen teams contested for the Thomas Cup during the 1957-1958 season... |
Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
6–3 | ||
| 1961 Details 1961 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter every two years... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
6–3 | ||
| 1964 Details 1964 Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton . Beginning in 1948-1949 it was held every three years until 1982 and thereafter it has been held every two years... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
5–4 | ||
| 1967 Details 1967 Thomas Cup The 1967 Thomas Cup was the 7th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The inter-zone matches and Challenge Round finale were held in Jakarta, Indonesia.... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
6–3 | ||
| 1970 Details 1970 Thomas Cup The 1970 Thomas Cup was the 8th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final set of ties were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
7–2 | ||
| 1973 Details 1973 Thomas Cup The 1973 Thomas Cup was the 9th edition of the Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team badminton . The final set of ties involving regional zone winners and the defending champion nation were held in Jakarta, Indonesia in late May and early June 1973... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
8–1 | ||
| 1976 Details 1976 Thomas Cup The 1976 Thomas Cup was the 10th edition of Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team badminton . The final rounds contested by qualifying teams were held in Bangkok, Thailand in late May and early June... |
Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... , Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... |
9–0 | ||
| 1979 Details 1979 Thomas Cup The 1979 Thomas Cup was the 11th edition of the Thomas Cup competition, the world championship of men's international team badminton. The final rounds contested by qualifying zone winners and defending champion Indonesia were held in Jakarta, Indonesia in late May and early June... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
9–0 | ||
| 1982 Details 1982 Thomas Cup The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final round was held in London, England.China won its first title after beating Indonesia in the final round.-Teams:... |
London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
5–4 | ||
1984 - 1988
| Year | Host | Final | Third Place | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | ||
| 1984 Details 1984 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1984 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 13th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 10th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important badminton team competitions in the world.... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
3–2 | 3–2 | ||||
| 1986 Details 1986 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1986 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 14th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 11th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important badminton team competitions in the world.... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
3–2 | 3–2 | ||||
| 1988 Details 1988 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1988 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 15th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 12th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important badminton team competitions in the world.... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
4–1 | 5–0 | ||||
1990 onwards
| Year | Host | Final | Semi-finalists | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||||
| 1990 Details 1990 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1990 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 16th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 13th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton... |
Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
4–1 | ||||
| 1992 Details 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 17th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 14th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
3–2 | ||||
| 1994 Details 1994 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1994 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 18th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 15th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton.-Teams:... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
3–0 | ||||
| 1996 Details 1996 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1996 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 19th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 16th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton.-Teams:... |
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
5–0 | ||||
| 1998 Details 1998 Thomas & Uber Cup The 1998 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 20th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 17th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton.-Teams:... |
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... , China SAR Special administrative region (People's Republic of China) A special administrative region is a provincial-level administrative division of the People's Republic of China, for which creation is provided by Article 31 of the 1982 Constitution of the People's Republic of China Article 31 reads "The state may establish special administrative regions when... |
3–2 | ||||
| 2000 Details 2000 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2000 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 21st tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 18th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions in world badminton.-Teams:... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
3–0 | ||||
| 2002 Details 2002 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2002 Thomas & Uber Cup was held in Guangzhou, China from May 9 to May 19, 2002. It was the 22nd tournament of World Men's Team Badminton Championships of Thomas Cup and 19th tournament of World Women's Team Badminton Championships of Uber Cup.... |
Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
3–2 | ||||
| 2004 Details 2004 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2004 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from May 7 to May 16, 2004 in Senayan, Indonesia. It was the 23rd tournament of World Men's Team Badminton Championships, Thomas Cup and 20th tournament of World Women's Team Badminton Championships, Uber Cup.... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
3–1 | ||||
| 2006 Details 2006 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2006 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from April 28 to May 7 in Sendai and Tokyo, Japan. It was the 24th tournament of Thomas Cup and 21st tournament of Uber Cup, men's and women's badminton tournaments.... |
Sendai and Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
3–0 | ||||
| 2008 Details 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 25th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 22nd tournament of the Uber Cup, the men's and women's team competition in badminton, respectively. It was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from May 11 to May 18, 2008.-Qualification:... |
Jakarta Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... , Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... |
3–1 | ||||
| 2010 Details 2010 Thomas & Uber Cup The 2010 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 26th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 23rd tournament of the Uber Cup, the most important and most prestigious badminton tournaments in men's and women's team competition, respectively... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
3–0 | ||||
| 2012 Details |
Wuhan Wuhan Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers... , China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... |
|||||
Successful national teams
Only three nations, Malaysia (formerly Malaya), Indonesia, and China have ever held the Thomas Cup. Curiously each of them won the first Thomas Cup competition that it entered: Malaya, the initial contest in 1949; Indonesia, the 1958 contest against Malaya; and China, the 1982 contest over Indonesia. Indonesia leads in total titles with thirteen. It won four consecutive titles from 1970 through 1979 and five consecutive titles from 1994 through 2002. Indonesia's ten year reign as champions was ended by the resurgence of China in 2004 when the Chinese won the title in Jakarta. Indonesia has played in the decisive final tie on eighteen occasions. Since the Thomas Cup format was overhauled in 1984, it has never failed to place among the top four teams.China has captured the Cup on eight occasions including the last four in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. It has contested the final tie ten times and, like Indonesia, has never failed to place among the top four teams. Malaysia has won five times, the last being in 1992. It has played in the final tie on thirteen occasions. Since the format change in 1984 it has reached the "final four" nine of thirteen times.
Despite its small population, Denmark has traditionally been Europe's strongest power in men's badminton and the strongest badminton nation not to have captured the Thomas Cup. The only European nation to have played in the final tie, it has finished second eight times spanning from the first competition in 1949 to the 2006 tournament. The USA, a power in the early days of international badminton (especially in women's competition), finished second to Malaya in 1952 but thereafter steadily fell behind the leading badminton nations. Thailand, with a king who promoted the sport, produced outstanding players at the time of its run to the final in 1961, and for some years after that, but has since descended to a lower rung on the international ladder.
Among all the other contending nations, South Korea has the best record. Rising to prominence in the 1980's, and especially strong in doubles, it had reached the "final four" six times before finally reaching the "final two" in 2008 to become the runner-up. Japan produced highly competitive teams in the late 1960's and the 1970's as its women were winning Uber Cup championships. Both its men and its women have fallen back since. India nearly reached the final twice in the 1950's. Despite some fine individual players it has lacked the depth, particularly in doubles, to seriously contend for the Cup. In Europe, England and Sweden have usually joined Denmark in advancing to the final phase of Thomas Cup competition since 1984. England, traditionally more successful in women's play than in men's, had its best showing in 1984 with a third place finish. Sweden, whose greatest badminton success spanned from the late 1960's to the mid 1980's, has yet to advance to the semifinal round of Thomas Cup's final phase.
Below is the list of seven nations that have finished in the top two in Thomas Cup.
| Team | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 13 (1958, 1961*, 1964, 1970, 1973*, 1976, 1979*, 1984, 1994*, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002) |
5 (1967*, 1982, 1986*, 1992, 2010) | |
| 8 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010) | 2 (1984, 2000) | |
| ** | 5 (1949, 1952, 1955, 1967, 1992* ) | 8 (1958, 1970*, 1976, 1988*, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) |
| 8 (1949, 1955, 1964, 1973, 1979, 1996, 2004, 2006) | ||
| 1 (2008) | ||
| 1 (1961) | ||
| 1 (1952) |
* = host** = including Malaya
Team appearances at the final stages
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
are the only Pan American teams to have reached this stage, and New Zealand and Australia, as one might expect, have been the only teams to represent Oceania. South Africa and Nigeria have qualified from the African zone.
Below is the list of teams that have appeared in the final stage of Thomas Cup as of the 2010 tournament
2010 Thomas & Uber Cup
The 2010 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 26th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 23rd tournament of the Uber Cup, the most important and most prestigious badminton tournaments in men's and women's team competition, respectively...
.
26 times
23 times
15 times
14 times
11 times
10 times
8 times
5 times
4 times
3 times
1 time