KUALA LUMPUR: For Denmark's head coach, Kenneth Jonassen, being a favourite alone does not guarantee Olympic glory.
Despite boasting the likes of men's singles world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen and reigning European champion Anders Antonsen, Jonassen remains firm that anything can happen at the Paris Games in July.
Jonassen, who is in town for the Malaysia Masters this week, agreed that both Danish players are among the hot favourites for a podium finish in Paris, but expects the challenge to be a different ball game come the main event.
Jonassen said: "There is always a chance for the likes of Viktor and Anders to win.
"But the Olympics is a different story altogether. It's about getting the 10 days right, especially the last three to five days.
"I would say the players who fare well are those who, on their bad day, find a way to win and deal with the pressure of expectation, which is double, triple or even quadruple at the Olympics."
Asked to comment on the current form of world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi of China and the reigning All England champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, Jonassen said: "Looking at the last three to four months, these two have looked the strongest.
"There still is about two and a half months before the Olympics, and that is a long time.
"However, looking at results from the All England and Asian Championships, these players are looking very strong."
Reigning Olympic champion, Axelsen, who has not looked the sharpest this season, will play Japan's Koki Watanabe in the Malaysia Open first round tomorrow while second seed Antonsen faces Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito.
Both Yu Qi and Jonatan, however, have opted to skip the Super 500 event to focus on next week's Super 750 Singapore Open and the Super 1000 Indonesia Open after that.