Just like yesterday, European players displayed a mix of triumphs and setbacks. While several pairs exited early in today’s remaining matches of the first round, there were some standout performances in singles –Viktor Axelsen’s comeback win and Christo Popov’s strong victory.
The tournament has seen its share of European first-round farewells with pairs like Mads Vestergaard/Christine Busch, Gregory and Jenny Mairs, Robin Tabeling/Alexandra Bøje, Callum Hemming/Estelle Van Leeuwen, Daniel Lundgaard/Mads Vestergaard, and Julie Dawall Jakobsen losing today. Despite these losses, we have victories to celebrate.
In mixed doubles, Alexander Dunn/Julie Macpherson pulled through a challenging match against USA’s Presley Smith/Jennie Gai, overcoming an initial setback to win 12-21, 21-15, 21-13. Men’s doubles also saw a strong first performance by Ben Lane/Sean Vendy, who secured a solid win against India’s Chayanit Joshi/Mayank Rana, 21-8, 21-14.
As for the highlights in singles, Christo Popov defeated China’s Lei Lan Xi with scores of 21-16, 21-18. His next opponent is Chun-Yi Lin, Chinese Taipei, who comes off a win against India’s Lakshya Sen. With one previous encounter in which Lin won, Popov’s progression since their last meeting in 2022 will be tested.
France have reasons to be optimistic, with Christo Popov, his brother Toma Junior, and Alex Lanier all advancing to the Round of 16, marking a successful first round for French players at this Super 750 event.
Viktor Axelsen’s match was another highlight, starting with a loss in the first game 16-21 against Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei. Axelsen regrouped to take the next two games 21-11, 21-13, coming back remarkably well against Chi’s great play. He will face Jia Heng Jason Teh from Singapore in the round of 16 tomorrow.
Mia Blichfeldt and Julie Dawall Jakobsen met in an all-Danish clash, marking their eighth clash on the international stage. The match began with Blichfeldt establishing an early lead in the first game, dictating the pace. The second game saw a more assertive Jakobsen, who initially led during the first half, challenging Blichfeldt. However, as the game progressed, Blichfeldt regained her composure, ultimately taking over to close out the match in straight games, 21-9, 21-14.
There are still many Europeans to cheer on. You can check tomorrow’s order of play here.