With a chance to win their first All England title and the first European women’s doubles title since 1981, Denmark’s Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen (pictured) came up short.
Pedersen and Rytter Juhl, the current European Champions, faced Chang Ye Na and Lee So Hee of Korea. For the first time in 21 years, Europe had representation in the women’s doubles final.
No European women’s doubles team has won the event since 1981, but that fact wasn’t to change as the Asians triumphed 21-18 21-13.
Pedersen/Rytter Juhl: „We are proud of our achievement“
„We tried our best but today it wasn't enough. Credit to the Koreans who made it very difficult for us. To play the Yonex All England is amazing - and to be in the final in the most prestigious and historical tournament makes us proud“, the duo wrote on their official Facebook page.
Pedersen and Rytter-Juhl, who did not drop a single game on their way to the finals of the 600.000 Dollars event in Birmingham, are currently ranked 2 in the BWF world rankings.
Lee Chong Wei equals Morten Frost
Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's veteran World No. 1, captured the All-England Open on Sunday with a trampling 21-12, 21-10 win over China's unseeded Shi Yuqi. It was Lee's fourth All-England title, which equals the achievement of Morten Frost.
World number 1 Tai Tzu Ying beat former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-16, 22-20 to win the maiden Yonex All England Open title for her country Taiwan.
Recent Yonex All-England champions from Europe:
2015: Carolina Marin & Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen
2013: Tine Baun
2011: Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen
2010: Tine Baun & Jonas Rasmussen/Lars Paaske
2008: Tine Baun
2006: Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard
2005: Nathan Robertson/Gail Emms
CLICK HERE for all results of the 2016 Yonex All England Open.
Article by Manuel Rösler. Photo by BadmintonPhoto.