DENMARK OPEN 2014 Finals – Chinese Clean Sweep in Denmark

China reigned supreme over all its competitors in this year’s Denmark Open Superseries Premier 2014 and bagged all five titles in an exciting finals day in Odense.

By Serla Rusli, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: Yohan Nonotte for Badmintonphoto (live).

The opening match saw Japanese duo Misaki Matsutomo / Ayaka Takahashi fall under the aggressive attacks of former world #1 Chinese pairing of Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang (photo header). Wang / Yu secured the first title for China in a sweet 21-14, 21-14 victory.

Ma Jin / Xu Chen (photo, left) beat Indonesian top mixed doubles Tontowi Ahmad / Lilyana Natsir in yet another close match between the two that ended in favour of the Chinese 22-20, 21-15. This win, along with the Superseries Premier-level prize money, may ease some of the pain from Ma and Xu’s loss to Ahmad/Natsir at last month’s Asian Games, which relegated the Chinese pair to sharing the bronze medals.

In women’s singles, Wang Yihan had to pass her Denmark Open crown after falling to her compatriot and world #1 Li Xuerui (photo) 17-21, 20-22 in 39 minutes.

Son Wan Ho (photo) was probably the closest to preventing the Chinese clean sweep. The Korean shuttler fought valiantly in the first game, trailing very closely behind Chen Long and losing the set 19-21. Things looked very promising for Son in the second game, with him seemingly in charge of the game and at one point Chen was lagging 16-12. However, a few mistakes and the Chinese managed to narrow the gap. Son failed to clinch the game despite having four game points, and the recently crowned World Champion successfully avenged his Asian Games defeat and defended his Denmark Open title after a gripping 66-minute match, 21-19, 24-22.

Fu Haifeng / Zhang Nan (photo) perfected the day for China by upsetting top seeds and title-holders Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong, 21-13, 25-23. The Koreans lost four game points in a row in the second game, and Fu / Zhang managed to snatch the title from the world #1 and book their first ever Superseries title as a duo.

This has now become the first Superseries Premier event to experience a Chinese gold medal sweep, although the All England had one before the Superseries Premier tier was invented and the China Open saw a couple before the Superseries came into existence.

Final results
WD: Wang Xiaoli / Yu Yang (CHN) [8] beat Misaki Matsutomo / Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) [3]  21-14, 21-14
XD: Ma Jin / Xu Chen (CHN) [3] beat Tontowi Ahmad / Lilyana Natsir (INA)  22-20, 21-15
WS: Li Xuerui (CHN) [1] beat Wang Yihan (CHN) [3]  21-17, 22-20
MS: Chen Long (CHN) [2] beat Son Wan Ho (KOR) [7]  21-19, 24-22
MD: Fu Haifeng / Zhang Nan (CHN) beat Lee Yong Dae / Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) [1]  21-13, 25-23

Click here for complete results