With the Tokyo Olympics gold, World Championships and Thomas Cup titles already stored in his trophy cabinet collection, Viktor Axelsen is eyeing the Sudirman Cup as his next target.

The towering Dane will lead his country’s charge at the Sudirman Cup beginning Sunday in Group C, which contains Indonesia, Russia and Canada.

While Denmark and Indonesia will be the favourites to make it out of the group, the world number two is not taking anything for granted.

“Obviously the Sudirman Cup is hard to win because we know that everything has to fall into place, everyone has to perform their best. We have to make some surprises along the way, and in key matches we cannot disappoint if we have to win.

“I want to win the Sudirman Cup. But it’s really tough, and if one match doesn’t go the way you hope to, then it will be tough.

“The Danish team is a tricky one, because we can really do well I think, but also we’re not the biggest favourites here. The key players have to perform,” he told the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) official website.

Denmark’s best achievement at the Sudirman Cup came in 2011, when they made the final before losing 3-0 to 11-time champions China.

Axelsen was finding his way in the junior category that year as Peter Gade Christensen contested the men’s singles, and was outclassed by Lin Dan in the final.

Denmark made the semi-final two years later in Kuala Lumpur but again fell to China, with Jan O Jorgensen as their men’s singles leader.

Now the responsibility falls on the broad shoulders of Axelsen, but this time the Dane is accompanied by his team-mates who are quality in every department.

World number three Anders Antonsen can fill Axelsen’s shoes at any time if needed, and in the women’s singles they have world number 12 Mia Blichfeldt.

Kim Astrup-Anders Rasmussen are no slouches in the men’s doubles, while world number 16 pair Maiken Fruergaard-Sara Thygesen are equally competent in the women’s doubles.

If push comes to shove in the event of a tiebreaker, world number 16 Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje can swing the tide in the mixed doubles.