In their attempt to defend the Arctic Open title from last year, Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup are now ready for the final in the attempt to do just that.
– They have been pretty cool. They have not played at a super high level all the time, but at times they have hit a towering level, said national coach Thomas Stavngaard about today’s semi-final and Astrup/Skaarup’s path to the final.
After two furious matches in the second round and the quarter-finals respectively against two world-class couples, our Danish heroes faced an opponent of a different nature in Saturday’s semi-final. Kittinupong Kedren/Dechapol Puavaranukroh are former junior world champions, but on the senior stage there has been a long way between the big results in this constellation. However, that has not prevented the Thai pair from qualifying for a semi-final at the Super 500 tournament in Finland. The two pairs have met three times, and it is 2-1 in Thailand’s favour, although the last match dates back to 2017 at the French Open. Dechapol Puavaranukroh is also one half of the very successful mixed doubles with partner Sapsiree Taerattanachai, where the list of victories includes the Indonesia Open and the season finals.
Read also: 27 Danish players are involved: Here is the draw for the VICTOR DENMARK OPEN.
Despite sometimes good play from today’s Thai opponent, it was Astrup/Skaarup in the first set of the semifinals, where the Danish pair played good offensive badminton and seized the initiative from the first ball. Astrup/Skaarup won the first set of the match 21-14. The second set followed in line with the match’s first, but the Thais managed to turn the game around at times, and offered somewhat better resistance than in the match’s first. Astrup/Skaarup closed the match in two sets, and could play in the final at the Arctic Open for the second season in a row with the figures: 21-19.
– Today the balls were also so slow that it was almost survival at times on both sides of the net. But I think they are good at being focused all the way. I think that in the other games they have had periods where they have “faded” a bit and stood still a bit. I think they were really good at keeping their concentration all the way today, added Stavngaard about today’s performance.
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Tomorrow in the final, the Malaysian China Open winners Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzudin await, whom Astrup/Skaarup have beaten in six of the seven matches between them, and whom they also beat on the way to last year’s Arctic Open title.
– I actually think that we are okay with them. They should have lost in the first round to Kjær/Søgaard, we had them under control. It also depends on how the balls are tomorrow, if they are the same balls, then it will be a different game. Kim and Anders beat them here (in the Arctic Open) last year, and also beat them in Malaysia in January, they’ve done well against them, Stavngaard said of tomorrow’s opponents, referring to Kjær/Søgaard’s three-set match in the second round and Astrup/Skaarup’s history with the Malaysian couple.
Tomorrow’s final can be seen on TV2 Sport and TV2 Play. Click here for TV2’s broadcast schedule.
