Thursday, 21 Nov 2024

News | BWF World Tour

Four pairs anticipated to compete for the VICTOR Denmark Open 2023 title faced disappointment in the second round at Jyske Bank Arena on Thursday.

Upsets at the Denmark Open

Among the surprising results was the defeat of men’s doubles world champions Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae by 2022 All England winners Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana. The Indonesian pair secured a victory in straight games, winning 21-17 24-22 in 46 minutes.

“We defended extremely well and it frustrated them. They lost their focus due to the building frustration. We hope these types of wins get us back into the momentum that helped us win All England,” said Fikri.

This victory sets Fikri and Maulana up for a quarterfinal clash against Lee Jhe-Huei/Yang Po-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei, who defeated the seventh-seeded Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin, the Olympic gold-winning teammates, with a score of 21-13 21-15.

Maulana and Fikri posing for pictures after their match.

Japanese heavyweights falter

The trend of upsets continued later in the day when Japanese contenders Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi and Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino were defeated by younger opponents.

Mixed doubles second seeds Watanabe/Higashino were the first to fall, losing 18-21 21-11 18-21 to another pair from Chinese Taipei, the fast-improving Ye Hong Wei/Lee Chia Hsin.

Hoki/Kobayashi swiftly followed suit, experiencing an 18-21 21-13 18-21 defeat against combative Korean youngsters Jin Yong/Na Sung Seung. Playing together for the first time in a Super 750 event, Jin/Na had previously defeated Indonesian world No.12s Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin in the first round.

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“It feels like a dream because it’s our first time beating a top 10 pair. But at the same time, I’m already thinking about preparing and being on my toes for the quarterfinals,” said 20-year-old Jin.

When asked about the pressure of being the sole representatives for Korean men’s doubles, 24-year-old Na expressed, “On the contrary, the pressure of being the last ones standing is what spurred us to win this match.”

Quarterfinal matchups

Jin/Na will face top seeds Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, who emerged victorious after a grueling 70-minute battle against Ben Lane/Sean Vendy with a score of 19-21 21-19 21-19.

“I’m not surprised by their results here,” said Alfian. “They are young, possess exceptional speed, and they make minimal mistakes. Alongside Kim Won Ho, Na also beat us at the Asia Championships in Dubai in February, so we have to be wary.”

FAQs

Q: What pairs were upset in the second round of the VICTOR Denmark Open 2023?
A: The upset pairs included men’s doubles world champions Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae and Japanese mixed doubles second seeds Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino.

Q: Who will face Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the quarterfinals?
A: Jin Yong/Na Sung Seung will face Alfian/Ardianto in the quarterfinals.

Conclusion

The second round of the VICTOR Denmark Open 2023 witnessed surprising results as top pairs in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles categories faced defeat. The quarterfinal matchups promise to be intense as the remaining contenders battle for a spot in the semifinals. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling badminton tournament.

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