DENMARK OPEN (BWF Super Series) October 15-20, 2013 Odense V, Denmark
China Dominates in Denmark They came, they played, and once again China dominated proceedings in the finals of yet another Superseries Premier event. The Chinese team had representation in four of the five Denmark Open finals and in true Chinese style claimed the top step of the podium in all four.
by Mark Phelan
Badzine Writer Photographs: Badmintonphoto
I
n truth, Team China was awesome that week as it reasserted its dominance of the sport after a lackluster World Championships on home soil back in August. Wang Yihan set the tone for the Chinese in the afternoon’s play as yet again the gutsy Chinese came back from a game down and an interval deficit in the second to claim the Women’s Singles title in Odense. Wang Yihan even struggled in the third game against Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun but her never-say-die attitude proved once again to be a major factor in yet another success for the steely Chinese. Trailing 13-17 it looked like the match was there for the Korean to win but Wang took 7 of the next 8 points to move to championship point and even though Sung steadied the ship to level 20-20, Wang was now riding the crest of a wave and took the match 22-20 to the delight of Coach Zhang Ning. “It was a really tough match but even though I’m tired, I show a lot of strength,” said Wang Yihan after the match. “I feel very comfortable playing here in the Danish arena and I have won here before, and it helped me that I could hear the crowd cheering for me. “Everyone wishes to play games like these. We both played on a really high level. That’s why it’s even more satisfying winning.”
Women’s Singles winner Yihan Wang of China
22 Badminton Monthly January 2014
Chen Long defeats defending champion Lee Chong Wei had come into the final on the back of two tough three-game matches at quarter and semi-final stages. The world number one had certainly ridden his luck this week in Odense but that luck ran out in today’s final as the number two seed Chen Long stormed to victory in two games. The fact that the match only lasted two games but extended to 68 minutes highlights the level of intensity throughout and the crowd gasped and groaned as many rallies extended over 25 shots. In the end, even a spirited fight back by the