KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion Anders Antonsen is bracing for a tough second-round clash against Japan's Koki Watanabe at the Malaysia Open on Thursday, wary of falling victim to an early upset.
The Super 1000 tournament has already claimed two high-profile casualties — two-time champion Viktor Axelsen and world No. 3 Jonatan Christie.
Antonsen is determined not to join their ranks.
On Wednesday, the world No. 2 Dane cruised past Taiwan's world No. 24 Wang Tze Wei 21-17, 21-10 in his opening match, while world No. 11 Watanabe overcame former world champion Loh Kean Yew 21-13, 21-18.
Despite holding a 4-0 head-to-head record against Watanabe, Antonsen is fully aware of the threat posed by his industrious opponent.
Their most recent meeting was in the Denmark Open final in October, where Antonsen won the match.
"Koki is a player who will always battle hard, and it is going to be a difficult match for sure. I have to be at my best to beat him," Antonsen said.
"I played him in the Denmark Open final, but I also faced him in the second round of the Malaysia Open last year. So, it's a kind of rematch.
"It's never easy, but it's always fun to play him," he added.
Antonsen remains focused and is not letting the early upsets in the men's singles draw distract him.