You could not find a bigger favorite in the Copenhagen Masters’ finals. But still Tine Rasmussen had to do her job. And the Dane did, like she has been doing during Copenhagen Masters; winning.
Lydia Cheah played fantastic in her semifinal but she looked unsettled in the first game and lost easily 21/11. She regained a bit confidence and put some pressure on Tine Rasmussen. And in the middle of the second game, Tine lost her foothold. At first, when she fell on the court and seemed a bit shaky – and afterwards when Lydia Cheah began to control the match. And suddenly Tine Rasmussen could not find the right solutions in her play and lost the second game 21/18.
The Danish national coach Claus Poulsen must have given Tine Rasmussen some great advice afterwards. She took back the advantage of the game and became calmer. And finally she was celebrated by the crowd after 47 minutes of badminton and a 21/10-victory in the final game.
- I am thrilled to have won the title again. It is definitely a great end of the year. Today Lydia seems a bit slow in the beginning, but after I stretched my leg in the second set, I was maybe lacking a bit on my focus. But it was nice to give the crowd everything in the third set, Tine Rasmussen says.
The runner up Lydia Cheah was – despite the result – glad after the match.
- I stepped up in the second game, but she is a good player. I have loved being in Denmark and playing this tournament. It is nice that everyone watches – it feels good, she says.
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