Carolina Marin has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open 2023, conquering Sung Shuo Yun (TPE) in an intense Round of 16 clash that concluded with a suspenseful score of 22-20 22-20, after 57 minutes of action.
“I didn’t play really well today, but it was important to keep fighting until the end. This is what I did, and this is what I need to keep doing on court, but of course I would like to have a better feeling” admitted Marin.
This marked the Spaniard's first complete match at the Denmark Open 2023, following her opponent Gao Fang Jie's unfortunate retirement in the first round, with the score at 11-8 in her favor.
Marin is now poised to face Chinese Taipei sensation Tai Tzu Ying in the quarterfinals - a match that promises to be a true spectacle. This showdown marks their 22nd meeting, with Tai Tzu Ying maintaining a slight lead in their head-to-head battles (10-11).
Anticipating the showdown, Marin exclaims, “As you said, we've played [each other] many times before, and it's going to be a tough game but also a thrilling one to watch and play. I'm looking forward to giving my best on the court tomorrow.”
Their very first encounter unfolded at the 2014 BWF World Championships quarterfinals, where the three-time World Champion emerged victorious with a score of 19-21 21-19 21-11. When asked if she remembered this significant battle, Marin chuckled, saying, “I have no idea when our first time was,” a true testament to her remarkable consistency and endurance in the world of professional badminton.
She continued, “But we’ve played many times, many good games, the last one a month ago where I lost in three games and with 19-21 at the third. It was a good fight and I hope we can show a great performance tomorrow, both of us”.
Tai also expects a grand match against Marin in tomorrow's quarterfinal. “Even though she had a serious injury and has been slowly coming back, her game is still very complete and she moves very fast on court,” mentioned the player from Chinese Taipei.