Danish men’s singles legend Jonassen will step down as head coach of the Danish national badminton team at the end of this year.
At 50 years old, Jonassen has been coaching the Danish national team for 11 years, 8 of which as head coach, making him the longest-serving and most successful coach in the team’s history.
His contract will expire at the end of the year, and he has decided not to renew it. “The past eight years as the head coach of the Danish national team have been an immense honor and privilege for me. Together with my fellow coaches and players, we have given everything to achieve success, and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as coach, but the role of head coach is also very demanding. I believe it’s time to pass the baton to someone new.”
Jonassen has played a crucial role in the career of current men’s singles world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen.
During his tenure, Jonassen led Axelsen to several victories, including the 2017 World Championship title in Glasgow and the gold medal at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, after which Axelsen became an independent player and moved to Dubai.
Additionally, Jonassen led Denmark to make history in the 2016 Thomas Cup Finals in Kunshan, when they claimed their first-ever Thomas Cup, the highest honor in men’s team badminton.
Another Danish men’s singles player, Anders Antonsen, also thrived under Jonassen’s guidance, winning a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in Basel and becoming the 2020 World Tour Finals champion after defeating Axelsen in an all-Danish men’s singles final.
