Zvonimir Durkinjak, Men's Singles player from Croatia, spoke with Badminton Europe about his ambitions, dreams and difficulties.
This week, all eyes are on Glasgow, where the Scottish Open get underway. Zvonimir Durkinjak is participating in the tournament in Men's Singles.
In the last months, the 30-year-old had to deal with some injuries in his back and knee. Now, he is back on court, after competing in the 43rd Hungarian International.
- At the moment, my priority is to feel strong enough to participate in tournaments and enjoy tough matches. Due to my injuries, I could not achieve very good results, the Croatian revealed to Badminton Europe.
- In Hungary, I had my strong comeback, I reached the semi-finals, he added.
A Déja Vu
In the first round of the Scottish Open, Durkinjak is facing a player from the qualification round. If he wins this match, he will meet Brice Leverdez, seeded number two, in the second round of the tournament.
The last meeting between the French and the Croatian took also place in Glasgow, at the World Championships 2017. Back then, Leverdez managed to win a thrilling match with 22-20 in the deciding game.
Playing in Europe’s best league
Durkinjak is playing in the Danish Badminton Elite League. Right now, his team of the Vendsyssel Club is at the top of the standing after three matches. Although his main discipline is Men’s Singles, Durkinjak also contributes to his team by playing in Doubles.
- Even if I only play Doubles in Denmark, which is very natural for me, I really enjoy participating in the best league in Europe and gain more experiences, he said.
Olympic dream
After Glasgow, Durkinjak has a busy time schedule. He is participating in the Italian International in Milan and then, in the USA International Challenge in California.
- It is going to be a tough period for me. I have two tournaments in a row in December. But certainly, my big dream is to qualify for the Olympic Games. Therefore, I practice as much as I can.