1976 Thomas Cup knockout stage

The first inter-zone semifinal between Denmark and Malaysia was the shocker of the series. The Danes once again fielded a squad of "name" players (complete with three alternates), though a few were now on the downside of their careers. By contrast the Malaysian team consisted of relative unknowns, though three consecutive hard-fought ties had given them valuable experience. The redoubtable Svend Pri, now 31, led off for Denmark with a decisive straight games win over Phua Ah Hua. In the next match, however, Flemming Delfs, less than a year away from capturing the World Singles Championship in the familiar Scandinavian climate, faltered in the heat and humidity after winning the first game against Saw Swee Leong. Those results set the pattern for the tie; Denmark could win matches that counted only when Pri was on the court. At 4–3 in favor of Malaysia Pri was finally unable to carry partner Steen Skovgaard to victory against Dominic Soong and Cheah Hong Chong. The jubilant young Malaysians had reached the Thomas Cup final against form, losing an anticlimactic final match to make the score 5–4.^[5]

The outcome of the other semifinal was never really in doubt. Though host Thailand had received a bye into the inter-zone matches, it had also received "the short straw" by being placed in the Indonesian half of the draw. The performance of the diminutive but gifted Bandid Jaiyen, however, did offer some balm for Thailand's wounded pride. He had gained Thailand's only point against Indonesia in the previous Thomas Cup series, and did so again on the first night of play by fighting back from the brink of a straight games defeat to wear down powerhouse Iie Sumirat 15–5 in the third.^[6] Though Jaiyen played creditably on the second night against the iconic Rudy Hartono, he was beaten at 11 and 7. Surapong Suharitdamrong, the Thai number two, could collect only eleven points in four games against Hartono and Sumirat. The one close doubles match came after Indonesia had already clinched the tie to play in its seventh Thomas Cup final in seven attempts.^[7]

Denmark 4	Indoor Stadium Huamark 29–30 May 1976 [8]		Malaysia 5
1 2 3 1 Flemming Delfs Saw Swee Leong 17 14 5 15 6 15   2 Svend Pri Phua Ah Hua 15 9 15 4     3 Svend Pri / Steen Skovgaard James Selvaraj / Moo Foot Lian 15 9 18 13     4 Poul Petersen / Per Walsøe Cheah Hong Chong / Dominic Soong 6 15 15 10 7 15   5 Elo Hansen James Selvaraj 9 15 9 15     6 Svend Pri Saw Swee Leong 15 9 6 15 15 5   7 Flemming Delfs Phua Ah Hua 12 15 6 15     8 Svend Pri / Steen Skovgaard Cheah Hong Chong / Dominic Soong 16 18 8 15     9 Poul Petersen / Per Walsøe James Selvaraj / Moo Foot Lian 15 12 15 2

Indonesia 8	Indoor Stadium Huamark 31 May – 1 June 1976 [9]		Thailand 1
1 2 3 1 Rudy Hartono Surapong Suharitdamrong 15 1 15 1     2 Iie Sumirat Bandid Jaiyen 15 9 13 15 5 15   3 Tjun Tjun / Johan Wahjudi Jiamsak Panitchaikul / Surapong Suharitdamrong 15 0 15 6     4 Ade Chandra / Christian Hadinata Pichai Kongsirithavorn / Preecha Soparajee 15 8 15 11     5 Tjun Tjun Pichai Kongsirithavorn 15 1 15 12     6 Iie Sumirat Surapong Suharitdamrong 12 6 18 3 13   7 Rudy Hartono Bandid Jaiyen 15 11 15 7     8 Tjun Tjun / Johan Wahjudi Jiamsak Panitchaikul / Surapong Suharitdamrong 15 11 14 17 15 5   9 Ade Chandra / Christian Hadinata Pichai Kongsirithavorn / Preecha Soparajee 15 12 15 7

In reaching the 1976 Thomas Cup final a young Malaysian team had done what vastly more experienced and accomplished Malaysian team members had failed to do in 1973. Their fine run, however, came to an abrupt end against juggernaut Indonesia in perhaps the most one-sided championship tie in Thomas Cup history. Replacing Sumirat in one of the top singles positions for Indonesia, rising star Liem Swie King weathered close first games against both Phua Ah Hua and Saw Swee Leong before slamming the door against both in the second game. Hartono was never threatened. Malaysia's Dominic Soong and Cheah Hong Chong captured the first game against Tjun Tjun and Johan Wahjudi, but this was the extent of the Malaysian challenge. By a nine to zero final tally Indonesia retained the Thomas Cup. It was the first time that the championship round had ended in a shutout.^[7][10]

Indonesia 9	Indoor Stadium Huamark 4–5 June 1976 [11]		Malaysia 0
1 2 3 1 Liem Swie King Phua Ah Hua 15 12 15 1     2 Rudy Hartono Saw Swee Leong 15 7 15 5     3 Ade Chandra / Christian Hadinata James Selvaraj / Moo Foot Lian 15 4 15 1     4 Tjun Tjun / Johan Wahjudi Cheah Hong Chong / Dominic Soong 13 15 15 6 15 6   5 Tjun Tjun James Selvaraj 15 1 15 7     6 Liem Swie King Saw Swee Leong 18 13 15 3     7 Rudy Hartono Phua Ah Hua 15 5 15 1     8 Ade Chandra / Christian Hadinata Cheah Hong Chong / Phua Ah Hua 15 6 15 11     9 Tjun Tjun / Johan Wahjudi James Selvaraj / Moo Foot Lian 15 6 15 2