NEW PAIRING – Mads Conrad-Petersen and Jonas Rasmussen

Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen played their last match together during the recently held Yonex World Championships. A new pair has emerged from the Danish squad, where Jonas Rasmussen went on playing to partner in Denmark’s young prospect, Mads Conrad Petersen. Badzine talked to Mads on the eve of their first win, just before Jonas’s birthday and before they fell in the second round of the 2010 Denmark Open in Odense.

Badzine International:  You two are new as a pair together. How do you feel?

Mads Conrad Petersen: Yes it’s a new thing for both me and Jonas, but it’s a great chance for me to learn from a world class player, and I think Jonas and my type of game is good for each other, so it looks good. But of course I’m not expecting to win a Super Series and stuff like that yet, and Jonas also knows it’s not the same, but I actually think he likes his new role as a “mentor” for me.

BZI:  Who chose this new partnership?

Mads: The coaches and Jonas together chose this new partnership, and it’s a great honour for me of course.

BZI:  What was your reaction when you learnt that you were chosen to play with Jonas?

Mads: It was a bit strange actually.  Of course I was happy and honoured to be picked, but at the same time it started a new deal for me, were I needed to step up my game, and needed to be even more serious about my badminton. But I’m so happy now with this new partnership.  It’s fantastic to be able to play with him.  He is a fantastic guy to learn from, and our personalities fit together well on court and off court.

BZI:  You played 6 years with Mads Kolding before. What was his reaction?

Mads: Mads Kolding was very happy for me, and well, he felt it was ok to try something new, but would of course also have liked to continue with me, as well as I also would if I didn’t have this chance.

BZI:  What are your short term and longer term goals?

Mads: The olympics are the far goal.  For the short term: get to some quarter-finals, and learn how to play against the best pairs in the world. To beat top 10 pairs is also a goal, and then qualify to the Worlds next year of course. And then see if the Olympics is possible or not…

BZI:  This Thursday is Jonas’s birthday. What would you wish him?

Mads: I would like to give him a win as a birthday present, nothing else matters, and then of course hope that this next year will bring him a lot of luck, with his new handsome young partner 😉