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Winning the Denmark Open with your friend by your side
Date: 10/18/2020 8:27 PM
Published by : Alan Raftery
After a thrilling three-game men's singles final, Antonsen came out on top and took the Denmark Open title after a 10-year wait for a Danish champion. Standing on the podium with his childhood friend, Rasmus Gemke, it is a surreal moment in the sport for both. 

For a moment though, it looked like Gemke was going to flip the formbook on its head once again after taking the opening game, 21-18. Then at 19-19 in the second game, the whole crowd were on the edge of their seats anticipating a big upset knowing that the previous three encounters went decidedly for Antonsen. But it was the European Games champion who was able to hold his nerve to force a decider. 

The rallies were physically impressive as Gemke, in particular, was jumping out of his base and going for his shots. Perhaps this is the only way to trouble Antonsen’s game, but it was Antonsen in the end who was victorious, winning 21-12 in the third. 

So intense was the match, both players suffered bad cramp and were unable to walk up the stairs to the interview area. In a statement to TV2, Gemke said. 

-Many things are going around in my head right now. My body is so tired. I can’t think about the game. 

Although he managed to conjure up some words about the thrilling final he had just played in. 

- I feel that I was trying to do the right things where I tried to move forward but I sent it too much to the side because of the wind. When you are up against a world-class player like Anders of course there will come some change in the tempo. Sometimes he puts them low and sometimes he makes them explosive. It is difficult to play against because you never know what will come.

Unable to make a statement, Gemke was asked about the newly crowned Denmark Open champion.

-Anders got cramp but I am sure he is all right.

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