Team Denmark advanced to the final of the 2013 European Mixed Team Championships in Ramenskoe this afternoon but not without having to call on all their reserves of strength. England will once again have to settle for a bronze medal but walk away from Russia with their heads held high after pushing the top seeds right to the wire. 

The Danes got off to a perfect start in the mixed doubles as Fischer and Pedersen reaffirmed their world top 4 status with an almost faultless display against Wallwork and Adcock.

“We were strong today and it was a big improvement on yesterday’s performance. We are both free from injury so it is nice to be able to play as we know we can” said Fischer to Badminton Europe.

England bounced right back after the disappointment of the mixed with one of the most confident displays of men’s singles this week in Russia as Rajiv Ouseph frustrated Viktor Axelsen (pictured) into submission to tie the match at 1-1 after a21-16 21-12 win.

“It was important for me to win this match after the mixed and I think after winning the opening set Viktor’s body language showed he was feeling the frustration so I pushed on and remained focused and I am pleased to win for England”

England’s Sarah Walker will feel hard done by the week after coming out on the wrong side of several three set encounters. The new English national champion was to suffer the same fate in her match against Line Kjærsfeldt as the young Dane came through 21-18 in the third set.

The stage was then set for the men’s doubles that everyone wanted to see, the matchup between England’s Andy Ellis and Chris Adcock against world number 1 pairing Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen. Recent battles suggest a close encounter and it proved to be just that. The Danes took the opening game before the English levelled up at 1 set each.

The deciding set was electrifying and at 19-15 ahead the English looked on course to win. Some nerves and phenomenal Danish play pulled the world number 1 pair level but somehow Adcock and Ellis steadied the ship and took the two points they needed to win the tie.

“This is why we play badminton and these are the games we want to be involved in. To win against Boe and Mogensen is a huge achievement for us and to do it with an English shirt on our backs makes it all the more special” said an overjoyed English duo to Badminton Europe after their victory. The match now hinged on the all or nothing women’s doubles with Heather Olver teaming up with English young gun Lauren Smith to take on world number 3 pairing of Perdesen and Juhl.

The English duo trailed 20-15 in the opening game but stormed back to secure their own game point at 21-20 however that was to be as good as it got for Olver and Smith as three points in a row saw the Danes take the set and they followed that up with a 21-13 win in the second to see Denmark through to the final.

“We have to give a lot of credit to England today as they really performed well. When it came down to the women’s doubles everyone expected us to win easy but Heather and particularly Lauren Smith showed that England have a really good group of players and are a threat to all top nations now.” Said a relieved Christinna Pedersen. 

Germany knock-out host nation Russia

In the second semi-final Germany came out on top 3-1 against a dogged Russian team back by a full house of partisan supporters. Russia got off to a good start taking the opening mixed doubles thanks to Sozonov and Sorokina but that’s where it ended for Russia as the Germans dominated the singles through Zwiebler and Schenk and Ingo Kindervater and Johannes Schöttler wrapped up the win with an easier than expected victory over world number 11 duo of Ivanov and Sozonov.

“Today I think we almost played too good if that is possible. We never let them into the match from the start and they made many mistakes. We are now in the final and we hope to play as good as the English did against the Danes and maybe cause an upset” said a happy Ingo Kindervater.

For all results from today’s play click HERE
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To re visit all the on court action from today and view the highlights videos from all days play visit Badminton Europe’s YOUTUBE channel by clicking HERE

Article by Mark Phelan (Live in Russia) Photo by Badminton Photo (Live)