KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Anders Antonsen has declared that he is here to stay as Denmark’s No. 1 in the men’s singles.

For so long, Antonsen has had to play second fiddle to two-time world and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen.

The latter’s injury troubles and the former’s own consistent form though has put him firmly in the spotlight and the 28-year-old is determined to maintain his status.

Antonsen is currently ranked No. 3 in the world while Axelsen’s fitness issues have seen him drop from No. 1 to No. 30 in the world.

"Being No. 1 in Denmark is a great achievement in itself. I’m now No. 3 in the world and I’ve been steady up here in the world rankings for many years now and I’m proud about that," said Antonsen.

"I plan to stay here for as long as I can. To be honest, I don’t think about the pressure from Denmark.

"I think I’m the one adding the pressure on my own shoulders. No one else. I have set high standards for myself.

"I want to do my absolute best every time I step on court. If I don’t do that, I’m very hard on myself," added Antonsen.

Antonsen has started the year strongly by marching into the Malaysian Open semi-finals.