The major favorites in Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles and Women's Doubles made their entrance at day 2 of Yonex Denmark Open. The spectators in Odense got to see world champion Chen Long, multiple times Olympic and world champion Lin Dan, Korean Men's Double Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong and a lot extraordinary badminton players.
Women's Singles:
The Chinese top favorites had an easy first day. First seeded Li Xuerui, second seeded Wang Shixian and third seeded Wang Yihan all won in straight games, leaving no doubt that the Chinese women's singles have come to win Yonex Denmark Open.
Among the outsiders to win in Denmark are the two Indian players Saina Newhal and P. V. Sindhu. They both had some struggles in their first matches. Saina Newhal had to use all three games before securing the win by 12-21, 21-10 and 21-12. P. V. Sindhu was also facing a three games match but she managed to survive four game points in the second game, winning 21-13 and 22-20.
Japanese Akane Yamaguchi has proven to be a one-to-watch. She is only 17 years old but went all the way through the qualification and in her first round match she won 21-8 and 21-13 against Russian Natalia Perminova. In the second round Yamaguchi will face fourth seeded Sung Ji Hyun from Korea.
The only major surprise in the first round came in the match between sixth seeded Korean Bae Yeon Ju and Busanan Ongbumrungpan from Thailand. The Korean favorite was beaten 21-14 and 21-15, making her the only seeded players to leave the tournament in the first round.
Men's singles:
Lin Dan made his entrance at Yonex Denmark Open and played the final match of Day 2.
Second seeded Chen Long played against local hero Viktor Axelsen where the crowd saw what the Chinese world champion is capable of. The first game was thrilling and was tied at 15-15. Then Chen Long stepped up his level of play and won the game 21-17. The second game was an extraordinary exhibition by Chen Long and he won 21-10, making his way to the second round.
Danish Jan Ø. Jørgensen played on highest level against German Marc Zwiebler and secured an easy win 21-11 21-16. Next match for the strong Dane will be against Lin Dan.
Three seeded players left the tournament already in the first round. Danish Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, Chinese Wang Zhengming and Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto all lost their first and only match at Yonex Denmark Open.
Mixed Doubles:
Only a few mixed doubles were in action on day 2 where the last 16 were found.
Only one of the four qualifiers in mixed doubles managed to advance among the final 16 pairs in the mixed event in Yonex Denmark Open.
Japans Takeshi Kamura / Keigo Sonoda played well against the Indonesian Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth / Markis Kido, and managed to advance to the second round after surviving eight game points in the first set, winning 27-25. Second set was won 21-19 by the Japanese who are going to face the 3 th seeded Ma Jin / Xu Chen from China.
The Indian / Russian alliance Ashwini Ponnappa / Vladimir Ivanov was up against Chinese Ying Suet Tse / Yun Lung Chan, and lost in two straight sets, 21-18, 21-18.
Thailand’s Puttita Supajirakul / Nipitphon Puangpuapech lost in two tight sets 21-19, 22-20 against Chinese Yixin Bao / Cheng Liu.
Finally, the young Danish constellation Sara Thygesen / Niclas Nøhr lost in a close match 21-16, 21-19 Sara Thygesen / Niclas Nøhr lost in a close match 21-16, 21-19
Women's Doubles:
In Women's Double the first round became like a moving day for the favorites. Everyone of the seeded doubles went through to the next round and everyone did it in straight games, except for sixth seeded Japanese Reika Kkiiwa/Miyiki Maeda. They had to use all three games to advance to the second round. The Japanese faced the strong Indonesians Shendy Puspa Irawati/Vita Marissa.
Exiting matches in the third round will be Chinese Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei against Go Ah Ra/Yoo Have Won from Korea. Also the match between third seeded Japanese Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi and Koreans Jung Kyung Eun/Kim Ha Na.
Men's Doubles:
The reigning world champions were on the edge of a hugh disappointment in the first round. Ko Sung Hyun/Shin Baek Choel played against Ling Chen Hung/Wang Chi-Lin (Chinese Taipei), who went through the qualification to get in to the main tournament. Nevertheless, the underdogs had a match point at 20-19 in the second game, after winning the first game 21-18. The korean world champions stayed calm and won the second game 22-20 and the final game 21-15 and kept themselves in the tournament.
Danish home favorites Carsten Mogensen/Mathias Boe had an easy first round against young countrymen Mathias Bay-Scmidt/Frederik Søgaard Mortensen. The third seeded Danes won safely 21-7 and 21-5.
Second seeded Indonesians Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setaiwan had a tough first match. The won after two very close games 22-20 and 24-22 against Japanese Hashimoto/Hirata. In the second round Ahsan/Setaiwan will face Chinese Cai Yun/Kai Lu.
There were no major surprises in the first round and all the seeded doubles won, including the top favorites Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong. The Korean super double booked their tickets to the second round in two straight games.