PROFILE – Rasmus Fladberg makes a surname for himself

Everybody is talking about Danish sensation Viktor Axelsen – but there is another talented youngster from Denmark. Rasmus Fladberg, 19, is the current winner of the Swedish and Croatian International in the men’s doubles. Badzine spoke to the Vice European Junior Champion, who is now focused on the singles category only, about his best match, his favourite football team and the sexiest girl on the planet.

 

 

Your favourite website?

It should be www.facebook.com. This is the site I have as my start page and normally start my internet tour. I like to chat with my friends and Facebook is a very good network tool. But sometimes it is a waste of time too (laughs).

 

2) Things you do before a match?

I don’t have rituals or anything. I am normally listening to music before a match to get in the right mood.

3) The song you listen to “to start your engine”…

Normally I use music to relax. Sometimes I am too tense before a match and music is a good way to calm down. In that cases I like to listen to John Mayer. But no specific songs.

4) Your best ever match was …

… against Anand Pawar of India. It was during the Norway International 2010. And I really have good memories of that match. It was the first good match I played at the international senior stage and for me it was something like an eye opener that its worth to work hard on my game. In that match, the elements of my game I want to show on court – like playing with a lot of variation in my offensive strokes – worked really well.

5) Your worst match?

There were far too many (laughs). But it must be my match against Michael Westerbaek from Sweden during last year’s individual event of the Danish Junior Cup. I was so tense and absolutely nothing in my game worked. So I lost in the first round in a tournament where I was considered to be one of the favourites to take the title.

6) The strongest opponent you have ever played?

 

During this year’s Croatian International I played Kevin Cordon from Guatemala. And he really kicked my ass. I lost 10-21, 13-21. I didn’t know what to do and I had no answers to the way he played. It was really frustrating.

7) Your best stroke?

 

I will save that one for my opponents to find out (laughs)

8) The place to be is …

… Køge. This is my home town. I have lived my whole life in that city. And I still live there. I really enjoy living there because many of my friends are in Køge. Maybe someday I will be forced to move away from Køge but then I will try to live close to it.

9) Copenhagen is…

…a place with a very nice atmosphere. I really like to be there. It is not that far from my home town. And I am often in our capital. I especially enjoy being in Nyhavn. Nyhavn defines what I like about Copenhagen.

10) Your favourite TV series?

 

I like the Danish TV series “Klovn” and “Casper & Mandrilaftalen”

 

11) The sexiest girl in the world is…

… definitely Georgia Karabinis from Sweden. (laughs)

 

12) Your favourite tournament?

Denmark Open. It is the biggest tournament in Denmark and I’ve already had the chance to play these kinds of tournaments. I like the set-up and of course, it is something special to play on home soil.

 

13) A film you can suggest …

“Blinkende Lygter” (“Flickering Lights”) or Shutter Island.

 

14) Your badminton idol is?

I like to watch many players but I do not have special idol or a person I consider to be my idol. I am not that focused on other persons and very much focused on myself.

 

15) Any sports idol?

 

I like Tiger Woods. I play golf myself and I think he really changed the sport. Golf became a different sport because of Woods. I guess he revolutionised the sport.

 

16) Your favourite football team is…

… definitely HB Køge. I hope they can reach the Superligaen -first Danish football league. They just have reached the relegation stage. I am often in the stadium to support them. I have played football before switching to badminton and some of my friends and former class mates are now playing in the team.

17) Anything in the training that you don’t like?

There is nothing special I do not like. Of course some parts of the practising are not fun but there is a need to do it. Sessions like running for example are tougher than others. But I wouldn’t say they there is something particular I hate.

 

18) Having a world champion as a father …

… is definitely a big help. My parents have done a good job in not putting too much pressure on me. I can say that I use their experiences. And I can always ask them for help and that’s a big advantage.

 

19) You have never played mixed doubles because …

… it’s just not my discipline. I have played mixed doubles in U13 and U15. But for me it is good to have a player who is at the same level as me.

 

20) Your worst moment with an umpire was …

 

When I played Estonia International in the beginning of 2011 I was leading 17-14 against Raul Must. Then he started to delay the game. I got frustrated and got a yellow card. It was not a mistake by the umpire, just a strange situation I wasn’t used to. It was really frustrating not be able to go ahead with the match. But from his side it was a clever act. It broke my rhythm and I lost that match.