Odense: This year’s Denmark Open has been marked by upsets and by dramatic swings in fortune, with top shuttlers such as Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Carolina Marin, Saina Nehwal, Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei all crashed out early from the tournament. Nevertheless, the upset trend was partially halted in the finals when Chen Long, Li Xuerui, Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong went on to capture the men’s singles, women’s singles, and men’s doubles titles respectively at the Denmark Open on Sunday.
Entering the men’s singles final with a 7-1 head-to-head record against Tommy Sugiarto, No. 1 seed Chen Long quickly showcased his championship pedigree to surge ahead with 7-1 in the first set. Although Sugiarto tried to rally from behind to close the gap, but Chen continued to hold firmly onto his lead to down Sugiarto 21-12 in the first set. Tommy Sugiarto put up a fight early in the second set, but his self-inflicted wounds and a flawless Chen Long offense led to an eventual 21-12 win for the Chinese shuttler. Sunday’s Denmark Open was Chen’s third consecutive Denmark Open title, and it was also his fifth Superseries titles of the year.
While their career meetings was even at 2-2, Li Xuerui and P.V Sindhu demonstrated their determination and strength in the Denmark Open women’s singles finals on Sunday. Sindhu got off to a good start in the first set, she looked dangerous with her relentless smashes to Li Xuerui’s left and right side, sailing ahead with 16-10. However, Li’s experience and patience paid off when she slowing closing on Sindhu’s marks to claw back with 18-17. After 18-18, Li buried several net and trick shots to snatch the first set away from Sindhu 21-19 in 26 minutes.
In the second set, not sure whether she was too tired or whether she has lost her confidence, Sindhu made a lot of unforced errors early in the game to allow Li again pulled ahead with 6-1. Li then took advantage of Sindhu’s errors, and was able to make several shots that caught Sindhu wrong-footed to move to 15-7. Li then reached the match point after Sindhu hit long once again and she won her first title of the injury-ridden season by winning the second set 21-12.
“I won last year’s Denmark Open, I’m very happy to win the Denmark Open again. It’s been a year since I last won a championship,” said Li after the match.
In men’s doubles, No. 1 seeds Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong of Korea proved too strong for unseeded Liu Cheng/Lu Kai, the Koreans prevailed 21-8, 21-14 in 42 minutes to lift the men’s doubles title. Denmark Open was Lee/Yoo’s third consecutive Superseries titles, and it was their fourth in 2015.
Due to an injury suffered by Zhao Yunlei, No. 5 seeds Zhao Yunlei/Tian Qing granted Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan of Korea a walkover in the women’s doubles finals.
Mixed doubles saw the only upset in finals, as the No. 7 seeds Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na of Korea outlasted No. 2 seeds Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia 20-22, 21-18, 21-9 to win their first Superseries mixed doubles championship of the year.
