It is time for the quarterfinals at the VICTOR Swedish Open 2023. While many of the top players are still aiming for the trophy in Uppsala, Sweden, the home crowd's favourite did not make it past the second round on home soil. 

At what will be his last international appearance on Swedish ground, Felix Burestedt could not fulfil the hopes for a deep run at his home tournament. After having a good start in the morning, the second round turned out to be his last one.

"Before the tournament I said that I will just do my best and simply try to enjoy the matches. But today I felt that I really wanted to win and got frustrated when I realised I could not reach my level in the first game", said Burestedt.

After losing the opening game 14-21, he came back 21-15 and forced a decider. "I managed to come back and but still made a little too many mistakes. I was not sharp enough in the decisive moments and that's why I lost, I would say", concluded Burestedt after losing 18-21 in the third game.

The 28-year-old will compete in the Danish Masters and European Games before ending his professional career this summer.

The Rindshøj-serve is still alive

After the BWF announced today that it will temporarily ban the spectacular new spinning serve from next week on, the inventor Marcus Rindshøj from Denmark takes his last chance of using it at the Swedish Open.

Rindshøj and his partner Rasmus Espersen won both of their matches today and advanced to the quarterfinals. "If the serve gets banned after this tournament, I better use it now", said the Dane laughing.

But he could also tell that his opponents are already adjusting to the innovative serve: "After they returned it really well three times in a row, I asked my partner whether I should go back to the normal serve. He told me to keep going and in the end it was the right decision and we won the match." 

"I think it is really fast that they changed this rule now. I thought it was more difficult to change the rules in the middle of an Olympic qualification. But I understand that decision. I will go back to normal and figure out a new serve maybe", the Dane added smiling. 

If you still want to see the Rindshøj-serve in action at an official tournament before getting banned, you better tune in tomorrow at badmintoneurope.tv where all matches of the VICTOR Swedish Open are streamed live.