1961 Thomas Cup knockout stage

The teams that won their zonal tie qualified for the final knockout stage.

Group	Winners
CH	Indonesia
AS	Thailand
AM	United States
AU	Australia
EU	Denmark

The inter-zone playoffs in Jakarta began on the first two days of June with Thailand beating Australia without the loss of a match or a game. Denmark then defeated the USA 7–2, but even in victory Danish problems with the heat and humidity were evident as players hailed by some as the best in the world often struggled against less talented opponents who, as Californians, were more accustomed to hot gymnasiums.

Thailand 9	Istora Gelora Bung Karno 1–2 June 1961 [1][2]		Australia 0
1 2 3 1     Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Ken Turner 15 5 15 1     2     Somsook Boonyasukhanonda Don Murray 15 3 15 9     3     Chavalert Chumkum / Chuchart Vatanatham Ted Anderson / George Robotham 15 10 17 6     4     Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi Don Murray / Ken Turner 15 6 15 5     5     Somsook Boonyasukhanonda Ken Turner 15 6 15 5     6     Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Don Murray 15 1 15 2     7     Narong Bhornchima Ron Young 15 2 15 3     8     Chavalert Chumkum / Chuchart Vatanatham Don Murray / Ken Turner 15 3 15 7     9     Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi Ted Anderson / George Robotham 15 8 15 12

Denmark 7	Istora Gelora Bung Karno 3–4 June 1961 [3][4]		United States 2
1 2 3 1     Erland Kops Jim Poole 15 10 4 15 18 14   2     Finn Kobberø Bill Berry 15 10 12 15 15 10   3     Erland Kops / Henning Borch Joey Alston / Ron Palmer 15 10 17 16     4     Jørgen Hansen / Finn Kobberø Michael Hartgrove / Wynn Rogers 15 4 15 8     5     Finn Kobberø Jim Poole 15 6 15 3     6     Erland Kops Bill Berry 15 11 15 0     7     Knud Aage Nielsen Ron Palmer 15 6 6 15 4 15   8     Jørgen Hansen / Finn Kobberø Joey Alston / Ron Palmer 15 2 15 6     9     Erland Kops / Henning Borch Michael Hartgrove / Wynn Rogers 15 9 12 15 14 17

The Danes' contest against Thailand fully demonstrated this weakness. A team entirely composed of either past, present, or future All-England champions was decisively beaten by a team composed of players who would never win that individual honor. Erland Kops and Finn Kobbero defeated the Thai number two Somsook Boonyasukhanonda comfortably, but both were beaten by young Channarong Ratanaseangsuang. Most shockingly, the famous doubles team of Kobbero and Hammergaard Hansen was beaten by both Thai pairs who swept all four doubles matches. Thus Thailand completed its run to the challenge round with an impressive 7–2 victory over Denmark.

Denmark 2	Istora Gelora Bung Karno 6–7 June 1961 [5][6]		Thailand 7
1 2 3 1     Finn Kobberø Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 15 17 13 15     2     Erland Kops Somsook Boonyasukhanonda 15 8 15 8     3     Jørgen Hansen / Finn Kobberø Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi 13 15 11 15     4     Erland Kops / Henning Borch Chavalert Chumkum / Chulart Vatanatham 10 15 16 17     5     Knud Aage Nielsen Narong Bhornchima 9 15 11 15     6     Finn Kobberø Somsook Boonyasukhanonda 15 1 15 2     7     Erland Kops Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 1 15 11 15     8     Jørgen Hansen / Finn Kobberø Chavalert Chumkum / Chulart Vatanatham 4 15 15 13 10 15   9     Erland Kops / Henning Borch Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi 15 5 11 15 10 15

The task of beating a strong Indonesian team in Jakarta's Senayan Stadium was possibly rendered even more difficult for Thailand when "neutral" officials and linesmen failed to arrive from Malaya. As they had done three years earlier in Singapore, the Indonesians swept all five singles matches. Ratanaseangsuang was unable to produce the consistency he had displayed against Kops and Kobbero and lost tamely to Indonesia's Tan Joe Hok and Ferry Sonneville. Boonyasukhanonda was simply not in the class of the two Indonesians, whose careers would be hallmarked by their Thomas Cup brilliance. The Thai doubles pairs played quite well, particularly the team of Narong Bhornchima and Raphi Kanchanaraphi who won both of their matches. Doubles victories were not enough, however, as Indonesia retained the Cup 6–3.

Indonesia 6	Istora Gelora Bung Karno 10–11 June 1961 [7][8]		Thailand 3
1 2 3 1     Tan Joe Hok Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 15 9 15 5     2     Ferry Sonneville Somsook Boonyasukhanonda 15 3 15 11     3     Tan Joe Hok / Lie Poo Djian Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi 7 15 13 15     4     Tan King Gwan / Njoo Kiem Bie Chavalert Chumkum / Chulart Vatanatham 15 12 14 17   retired   5     Eddy Yusuf Narong Bhornchima 18 14 15 7     6     Tan Joe Hok Somsook Boonyasukhanonda 15 2 15 5     7     Ferry Sonneville Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 15 9 15 4     8     Tan Joe Hok / Lie Poo Djian Chavalert Chumkum / Chulart Vatanatham 15 5 13 15 18 17   9     Tan King Gwan / Ferry Sonneville Narong Bhornchima / Raphi Kanchanaraphi 13 15 15 13 5 15