The permanent Centre of Excellence player, Kári Gunnarsson from Iceland, was back home to play the future series, Iceland International, last week. 

Gunnarsson was second-seeded in the men’s singles and faced Spain’s Tomas Toledano in the first round, after Toledano had been promoted from the qualification. The first game went to Toledano 21-11, but Gunnarsson came back and took the second game 21-12. The third and final game was again a comfortable win, 21-11, for the Spaniard, who made his way to the second round. 

- I came to Iceland knowing that I was probably not going to be playing amazing badminton. January has been a build-up period with some very tough practices. Lots of weights and long intervals on court. Very little game play. With that being said, I was definitely disappointed losing the first round on my home court. I felt a little impatient on court and I was trying to play a style that my body was not prepared to play. But credit to Toledano for playing a solid match, Gunnarsson said. 

- I have a lot of interesting challenges coming up and my practice will be more focused on the tournaments from now on so I am very excited to hopefully make some good results in the last few months of the Olympic race, he ended.

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Runner-up in doubles 

Gunnarsson played with David Bjarni Bjornsson, also from Iceland, in the men’s doubles. They were unseeded, but not to be underestimated. In the second round, Bjornsson and Gunnarsson were facing the third-seeded countrymen, Jonas Baldursson and Daniel Johannesson. The unseeded pair came out on top and they made it all the way to the final. 

In the final they were facing first seeded Anton Monnberg and Jesper Paul from Finland. It was a close first game, that went to the Finnish 26-24. The second game was not as close, and Monnberg and Paul kept the control and secured their first title in 2020. About the doubles, Gunnarsson said.

- I was dealing with a strain in one of my abs, so I was unable to make full smashes. Plus, I have not played doubles in years so that was interesting. I think I was mostly carried through by my talented partner, David Bjarni, who is a great doubles player.