Despite a dismal start, Anders Antonsen reached the final of Denmark’s biggest badminton tournament on Saturday.
In the Denmark Open semifinal against Christo Popov, Antonsen significantly raised his level of play as the match progressed, winning in three sets 9-21, 21-16, 21-13.
On Sunday, the fifth-seeded player from Aarhus will face the seventh-seeded Frenchman, Alex Lanier, in the final.
Christo Popov got off to a fantastic start, and Antonsen simply couldn't keep up in the Odense arena. Given the flow of the match, it was hardly surprising that Antonsen fell behind 2-9 against the strong Frenchman.
The Dane subsequently received a few gifts from the second-seeded Popov, narrowing the gap on the scoreboard. Antonsen increased his pace slightly, but he could not prevent Popov from winning the first set comfortably.
A key factor was the Dane’s significant struggle to land his shots on the back line; in the tailwind, his shots consistently went too long.
During the second set, Antonsen complained to the umpire about Popov’s watch, claiming it was a distraction. Light from the arena’s lamps was apparently hitting the watch and reflecting into Antonsen’s eyes whenever he prepared to serve.
Nevertheless, Antonsen really found his rhythm, reeling off seven consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead—all while a mental battle unfolded on court.
Popov appeared frustrated toward the end of the second set, just as Antonsen gradaully settled into his stylish stride. The third set featured several verbal exchanges between the players and a somewhat tense atmosphere across the net, before Antonsen moved ahead 11–9.
The Dane later clenched his fist after winning a challenge, extending his lead to 18–11. After one hour and 11 minutes, he sealed the match on his second match point, to the great delight of the spectators.