Today, the 2024 European Championships witnessed top seeds stepping finally on courrt for the first time, crucial matches for those looking for last key wins on the Road to Paris, and all mixed doubles pairs aiming for quarter-final spots.

In the matches of the day, top-seeded Viktor Axelsen delivered a commanding victory over home favourite Kai Schaefer, 21-12 21-12. The second-seeded duo, Thom Gicquel/ Delphine Delrue, the silver medallists from the 2022 European Championships, also started strong, overcoming Serbia’s Mihajlo Tomic/ Andjela Vitman 21-17 21-11.

Beyond the quest for advancing onto the next stages, some players battled for essential victories pivotal for their Olympic qualification. Among them, Czech athlete Tereza Svabikova clinched a hard-fought win against Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova, 28-26 21-19, a victory that granted her a spot to compete in Paris 2024.

The competition continues tomorrow at 9am (CEST), with all matches available for streaming on badmintoneurope.tv.