The first session of this year's European Mixed Team Championships has come to an end, bringing dominant wins for the favorites as well as some closely contested and well-played matches.
Denmark vs Spain
On Court 1, Denmark secured a 5-0 victory over Spain. Although the Danes were strong favorites in all matches, the Spanish players put up a solid fight. Anders Antonsen gave Denmark a 1-0 lead but faced stiff resistance from Alvaro Leal, who played an impressive match. Leal stayed level with Antonsen at 12-12 in the first game before the Dane pulled away to win 21-15. A similar scenario unfolded in the second game, with the match staying tight until 12-12 before Antonsen once again took control, winning 21-16.
The second match, women’s singles, followed the same pattern. Clara Azurmendi kept up with Line Kjærsfeldt in both games and played a strong match, but Kjærsfeldt ultimately emerged victorious with a 21-18, 21-18 win.
Denmark then dominated the men’s and women’s doubles, with both Danish pairs proving far too strong for their Spanish opponents.
In the final match, Ruben Garcia and Lucia Rodriguez put up a good fight and came close to winning the first game, but Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund edged it 21-19. The Spaniards couldn’t maintain the same rhythm in the second game, allowing the Danes to seal a 21-12 victory, securing the overall 5-0 team win.
Azerbaijan vs England
The second match of the session was a much closer contest, as England narrowly defeated hosts Azerbaijan 3-2. The match was divided into two clear halves—Azerbaijan dominated the singles, while England was superior in the doubles.
Keisha Fatimah Azzahra cruised to a 21-11, 21-7 win in women’s singles, and Ade Resky Dwicahyo followed up with a hard-fought 27-25, 21-13 victory in men’s singles, giving Azerbaijan a 2-0 lead. However, England responded emphatically, winning all three doubles matches without dropping a single game, securing the 3-2 win.
Tomorrow, Azerbaijan will face Spain, while England takes on Denmark.
The second session begins at 3:00 PM local time (12:00 PM CET), featuring France vs. Germany and Czechia vs. the Netherlands.
All matches can be watched live on BadmintonEurope.tv!