INDONESIA OPEN 2014 Finals – Danish gold decades in the making

Team Denmark saw three of its players reach the top of the podium at the BCA Indonesia Open Superseries Premier for the first time.

By Mathilde Liliana Perada, Badzine Correspondent live in Jakarta.  Photos: Yves Lacroix for Badmintonphoto (live)

China and Korea had new partnerships win titles at the BCA Indonesia Open Superseries Premier finals on Sunday but all involved at least one familiar face.  Denmark, however, not only had two first time title-winners but Jan O.  Jorgensen became the first Dane to win this event while Joachim Fischer Nielsen / Christinna Pedersen (pictured above) ended a 23-year mixed doubles title drought for Denmark at the Indonesia Open.

Xu Chen and Ma Jin (pictured) performed well and were able to hold off the Danish attack at the first game.  They came and took the first game as theirs.

Joachim Fischer Nielsen / Christinna Pedersen tried to control the second game while Ma Jin committed many unforced errors at the third.  The #4 seeded took their first Indonesia Open title supported by all of the spectators in the stadium.

“I have a special feeling here.  We came here trying to reach the final.  Today we are just proud to win,” said Fischer Nielsen at the press conference, adding that Xu/Ma seemed quite tired after their match against the host pair in the semi-final and that they tried to move the Chinese pair all over the court.

Fischer greeted their win with an unusual celebration:  He threw his racket and headed it:  “I don’t know what I did, I was just doing what I felt like doing.”

From first in 23 to first ever

Another Danish representative, Jan O. Jorgensen (pictured), enjoyed an outstanding final.  He played as well as in his semi-final match versus Chen Long.  Jorgensen tried to put pressure on Japan’s Kenichi Tago, all the while maintaining good defense as well.

Jorgensen secured his first Superseries Premier title and first ever title in Asia by beating Tago 21-18m 21-18 in 44 minutes.

“I really enjoyed the match but I felt so sad about the result,” explained the Japanese man, who already beaten Lee Chong Wei in the semi-final round in the same tournament.

Jorgensen, meanwhile, still could not believe what he had accomplished in the tournament, and was in tears after winning the final.

“It was an amazing match.  I feel super happy and I can’t believe I won.  I just made history today,” Jorgensen said.

Between the two Danish wins, Li Xuerui became the only repeat champion, denying Ratchanok Intanon (pictured) for the second time since she lost to the Thai at last summer’s World Championships.  That win added to the gold China was assured of in the women’s doubles, where it was two-time mixed winner Zhao Yunlei and her partner Tian Qing who benefited from a walkover from Ma Jin and Tang Yuanting.

Lee beats out Setiawan for third title

For only the fifth time in the event’s history, the home team finished without a title. The sole host representatives on finals day, Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan, failed to deliver.  They got their fifth loss in just eight months to Korea’s Lee  Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong.

The #1 seeds couldn’t show their best performance while Ahsan made so many unforced errors.  Both Indonesian players returned several serves into the net and the Korean pair throve  on the easy points.

“We were not enjoying the match and our defending was too poor,” Setiawan explained afterward.  Ahsan added that the Koreans have strong smashes and good defense so the Japan Open runners-up found it so hard to earn points.

Finals line-up
XD: Joachim Fischer Nielsen / Christinna Pedersen (DEN) [4] beat Xu Chen / Ma Jin (CHN) [3]  18-21, 21-16, 21-14
WS: Li Xuerui (CHN) [1] beat Ratchanok Intanon (THA) [4]  21-13, 21-13
MS: Jan O Jorgensen (DEN) [3] beat Kenichi Tago (JPN) [4]  21-18, 21-18
WD: Tian Qing Zhao Yunlei (CHN) [8] beat Ma Jin / Tang Yuanting (CHN) [walkover]
MD: Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) [6] beat Mohammad Ahsan / Hendra Setiawan (INA) [1] 21-15, 21-17

Click here for complete, detailed results