EURO MIXED TEAM CHAMPS 2013 QF – Top 4 teams through

None of the matches today went the distance as only England dropped a match en route to the semis, to join Denmark, Russia and Germany.

By Michael Burke, Badzine Correspondent.  Photos: Yohan Nonotte for Badmintonphoto (live)

Sarah Walker again struggled in her match, this time against Larisa Griga of Ukraine, as she delayed the inevitable progression to the semis, especially on the return of English number 1 men’s singles player Rajiv Ouseph to the fold. Despite not having played a match all week he was untroubled against Zavadsky taking England’s quickest match of the day, 21-15 21-14 in only 25 minutes.

Andrew Ellis / Jenny Wallwork (pictured) had been pushed close by Atrashchenkov/Kobcheva with the third game going in favour of the English 21-19, but the Ukrainians could not force the fifth match as Ellis again featured with Adcock to power past in the men’s doubles.

Even the return of Bankier to the Scotland side could not help them on Day 4 as the Scotland team did not look close to their Danish opponents. The entire court time for the three matches was only 1h 12m as Team Denmark (pictured bottom) showed why they are again favourites for the tournament. Having won without having to call on the expertise of Boe / Mogensen, they will pose a stiff challenge for the English in the semi-finals.

Russia were similarly untroubled on home soil against the Dutch, with only Stolzenbach able to take a game off her opponent Ella Diehl (pictured top). The Russians will face Germany tomorrow for a place in the final.

Despite an early wobble in a close first game from Michael Fuchs / Birgit Michels, they comfortably sealed the next two against France’s Careme/Fontaine to secure Germany’s first point. In an incredibly close singles match between Brice Leverdez and Marc Zwiebler (pictured) the German only just came out on top just keeping his nose in front to win 20-22, 21-14, 22-20.

Juliane Schenk, after her shock defeat to Carolina Marin on Day 3, was the measure of cool as she sealed her team’s progression to face Russia, by dismissing Delphine Lansac in two quick games.

Click here for complete quarter-final results