The year 2019 is coming to a close. Reflecting on the events of the year, it has been one filled
with plenty of great badminton action. This is partly due to the commencement of the Olympic qualification period in April, meaning the competition for points has stepped up another level.
From a European perspective, the season got off to a terrific start with Anders Antonsen defeating the world number one Kento Momota, to win the Indonesia Masters. For the Dane, 21 at the time, it was his first title on the World Tour.
In Jakarta, with celebration, also came heartbreak, when Carolina Marin was forced to retire from her final with Saina Nehwal due to a severe injury that required immediate ACL surgery.
Danish delight
The Spain Masters saw an all-Danish singles finals with Mia Blichfeldt securing the title in two games against Line Kjærsfeldt. Similarly, Viktor Axelsen dispatched his compatriot Anders Antonsen to add to the Malaysia Masters he won in 2018.
The tall Dane then became the first European singles player at the All England Open to reach the final since Jan Ø Jorgensen in 2015. Although in the final, the Japanese star Kento Momota was too strong.
Mathias Bay-Schmidt and Rikke Søby Hansen recorded a career-defining win with their first mixed doubles World Tour title at the Swiss Open. They overcame the Indonesian pair, 2017 world junior champions, Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari in a three-game thriller.
At the India Open, Viktor Axelsen won his second title of 2019 by defeating Srikanth Kidambi with significant home support.
In mid-June, Minsk hosted the European Games, with Great Britain taking five medals, two of them gold. Denmark followed close behind with four medals, two gold. And the Netherlands recorded two medals, one gold.
New career heights
Anders Antonsen reached a momentous milestone in the form of his first Super 1000 final at the Indonesian Open. A three-game show entertained the enthusiastic Indonesian fans with Chou Tien Chen reaching new heights and taking the title.
Antonsen then continued to ride this momentum wave and achieved the career-high of a silver medal at the World Championships, meeting a superior Momota in the final.
Last but not least, seven months on from her upsetting injury at the Indonesia Masters, Carolina Marin defies all odds and comes back from injury to retain her China Open title. Defeating the world number one Tai Tzu Ying.
It has been an incredible year, and we have seen all the right signs for a historic 2020 season.