DENMARK OPEN 2010 Finals – Jorgensen’s First

If anyone had reservations about the strength of the Danish shuttlers before the start of the Denmark Open, they were proven wrong on finals day. Although some of Asia’s finest shuttlers decided to stay at home in order to prepare for the Asian Games, the competition was still worthy to categorize as a Super Series event. With 3 titles out of 5, the Danish delegation had every reason to be ecstatic. For a result as good as the 2010 edition, we have to go back to 2001: the year Camilla Martin, Hansen/Paaske and Kirkegaard/Olsen claimed the titles for the Scandinavian powerhouse.

By Elm Vandevorst, Badzine correspondent.  Live photos: Yohan Nonotte and Antoine Roullet for Badmintonphoto

When Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl (photo) overcame compatriots Paaske/Nielsen five years ago, the home crowd was hoping for a winning streak for their home players, but the spectators had to wait another five years to see another win from the Danish mixed pair.  Laybourn and Juhl started off ferociously against Commonwealth Games silver medallists Robertson/Wallwork, taking the first set 21-12. The English pair didn’t give up and took set two with exactly the same numbers. Just as at the World Championships, a third set had to determine which European team would take the win. Straight away at 1-1 the Danes scored five points in a row, enough to breach the English resistance and celebrate their second title at the Denmark Open with 21-9 in the last set.

“It’s amazing to win one of the biggest titles especially here in Odense.  We’re very happy,” explained Laybourn on the Denmark Open-website. “We are pretty close to our top level, but I still feel that there are a few things that we can do even better.”

The last Japanese champion(s) in Denmark date back five years ago when Kumiko Ogura and Reiko Shiota prevailed in the women’s doubles. Shiota nowadays focuses on the mixed doubles with Shintaro Ikeda.  However, there are enough Japanese ladies around to take over.  For instance Miyuki Maeda / Satoko Suetsuna and Shizuka Matsuo / Mami Naito battling for a Super Series title.  The latter had had a great tournament so far, including victories against third seeds Nedelcheva/Russkikh and second-seeded twosome Fujii/Kakiiwa in respectively the quarter- and semi-finals.  On the other hand, their opponents had almost tasted victory at the Japan Open were they were halted in the semi-final. Today they did even better and defeated their compatriots 21-17, 21-14. What looks like an easy win on paper nonetheless took Maeda/Suetsuna (photo) over an hour to finish off at their second championship point.  Their victory should helped them move up to #2 in the world once the three Chinese pairs lose their points from last year’s French Open.

21-19, 21-19. Jan O Jorgensen (photo)  will treasure this scoreline for the rest of his life. Where better to land Super Series title number one than on home soil?  The 22-year old Dane, who is expected to assure Denmark’s position in men’s singles together with Viktor Axelsen, was leading 3-2 against Taufik Hidayat before the start of the game.  Hidayat seemed to have learnt from his defeats and took control, leading 11-6 at the first break. Jorgensen closed this gap and took his first two-point advantage at 14-12. At 20-19, Jorgensen benefitted from Hidayat’s backhand which landed outside the field, securing a first set win for the Dane.   It was the same scenario in the second game with Jorgensen abolishing Hidayat’s initial lead, cruising through to one of the best moments of his young career.

While Japan was given the chance by China to for once overshadow the women’s doubles, the Chinese left no doubt they still have the best female shuttlers around, as illustrated by the all-Chinese women’s singles final between Liu Xin and Wang Yihan. The latter is, despite being just 22 years old, already one of the best players around and was ready to add another title to her Super Series record, which started with a win at the Japan Open two years ago. Liu Xin, of course, had another option, the reigning Bitburger Open Champion surprised everybody in India, playing a total of 8 matches before falling in three games to Li Xuerui in the final, both girls having previously had no notable results since their Asian Junior Championship titles.  Now, of course, Li has two major titles to her name and Liu has played in three finals.  Ironically, Odense was Liu’s first time reaching a final in only seven games but on Sunday, Wang Yihan was in total control, showing once again she’s top class and winning 21-14, 21-12.

What had to become the “piece de resistance” of the day, ended in a clear victory for home players Carsten Mogensen and Mathias Boe (photo).  Much to the enjoyment of the crowd, of course, who could rejoice in the third Danish title of the day. Merely 31 minutes were required by the two Danish men to wipe the floor with second seeds Kido/Setiawan 21-13, 21-12.  It was a perfect week for Boe and Mogensen who didn’t drop a game all the way through this year’s edition.

“We have gotten better and better during the tournament. We’ve has some close matches but have been quite cool at the end of each set,” said Mogensen, who will be world #1 for the first time if he and Boe can repeat that performance in Paris this week.

Final results

XD: Laybourn/Rytter Juhl (DEN) bt. Robertson/Wallwork (ENG) 21-12, 12-21, 21-9
WS: Wang Yihan (CHN) bt. Liu Xin (CHN) 21-14, 21-12
MS: Jan O Jorgensen (DEN) vs. Taufik Hidayat (INA) 21-19, 21-19
MD: Boe/Mogensen (DEN) vs. Kido/Setiawan (INA) 21-13, 21-12
WD: Suetsuna/Maeda  (JPN) bt. Naito/Matsuo (JPN) 21-17, 21-14