Axelsen bids to lead Denmark to glory at star-studded Sudirman Cup Finals
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Axelsen bids to lead Denmark to glory at star-studded Sudirman Cup Finals
insidethegames.biz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from insidethegames.biz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
OLYMPIC WD Preview – Can Japan get their fairy-tale final?
How are Japan’s chances in the home team’s strongest discipline going into the Tokyo Olympics? Can Hirota and Fukushima rise to the biggest occasion of their career?
By Don Hearn. Photos: Badmintonphoto
Entering the Olympic women’s doubles competition with the first and third seeds belies Japan’s dominance in this discipline over the past few years. With over two dozen Superseries or equivalent titles, two World Championships, and Asian Games silver all since Matsutomo and Takahashi won gold in Rio, the Japanese podium success is close to rivalling China’s at the height of its women’s doubles power. In early 2019, Japan accounted for half the pairs in the world’s top ten.
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Defending champions Denmark beat Germany in a rematch of the 2019 final to cap a fine start to the European Mixed Team Badminton Championship in Vantaa.
Olympic bronze medalist Viktor Axelson got the Danes off to a good start, beating Fabian Roth 21-6, 21-9, but back-to-back wins in the women s singles and men s doubles had Germany 2-1 ahead and one win away from victory.
However, Alexandra Bøje and Maiken Fruergaard came from behind in the women s doubles to beat Isabel Herttrich and Stine Küspert 20-22, 23-21, 21-17 in a tense fourth match.
The mixed doubles was another three-game affair, but Denmark s Niclas Nøhr and Amalie Magelund triumphed.