Anu Nieminen made a welcomed return to the BE circuit tour today after a enforced layoff due to a niggling knee injury that has troubles the Finn for the past few months.

Nieminen, who won in Slovakia at the beginning of the season, showed no ill effects from the injury on the Badminton Europe TV court today as she beat number 8 seed Ozge Bayrak from Turkey. It was indeed Nieminen who looked freshest and fastest on court a she continues to push towards her London Olympics swansong.

In the first game the Turk had game point but the experience of Nieminen came through as she took three points in a row to take the game 22-20. Bayrak had no real answers to the attack of Nieminen in the second set and the Finn eased to a second game win 21-14.

“I have patella tendonitis and it has troubled me a lot over the past while to a point where I could not even walk. I think its age but my doctor assures me it is that exact problem. I thought I would need an operation but thankfully it has worked out for me and this is a good comeback given all the problems I have had” said a chirpy Nieminen to Badminton Europe.

There were some big name casualties in the women’s draw as we hit the main draw in Vienna today and in the Team GB race to London both Elizabeth Cann and Susan Egelstaff could be sitting beside each other on the flight home after a pair of lacklustre defeats for both girls in the opening round.

In the men’s main draw Yuhan Tan overturned a two match losing streak against fifth seed Dmytro Zavadsky to advance to the second round. The Belgian, who looked in good form last week at the European Men’s team championship in Amsterdam, certainly appears to be hitting some good form after taking the whole month off in January away from competitive badminton to train and focus on developing his game.

Zavadsky had his chances leading 18-15 and had game points on two separate occasions before the likeable Belgian fought hard to win the match 23-21 in the second.

“I feel like my game is in good shape and after a good week in Amsterdam last week I am playing with a bit of confidence. “Said Tan to Badminton Europe.

Badminton Europe TV continues to stream all the action from court 1 in Vienna. Just login and register for free by clicking HERE

For a live Facebook photo gallery from the tournament just click HERE

For all scores click HERE.

Article and Images by Mark Phelan (Live in Vienna)