Anders Antonsen took another step towards the Denmark Open final, but his victory over Jan O Jorgensen was probably his most difficult emotionally as he ended his team-mate’s career with a 21-12, 21-10 victory in the quarter-finals.
This tournament was to be Jorgensen’s last international hurrah before calling it quits, and emotions clearly overwhelmed the former world number two as he took to court against his much younger opponent.
The contest only lasted 40 minutes in Antonsen’s favour, and Jorgensen admitted it was always going to be difficult to win the battle on court.
“It was way too emotional, I tried my best not to get into that stage, but when I walked into that arena I felt this is going to be a tough one. I knew my chances were slim, even in practice he’s the favourite against me,” said the 2016 Thomas Cup winner.
Antonsen, who faces Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen next, admitted it was also difficult to face Jorgensen.
“I could see in Jan’s eyes that he was really emotionally invested in the whole situation and it was difficult for me to not feel that a little as well,” he said.
His match against Chou, who defeated India’s K.Srikanth 20-22, 21-13, 21-16, will be a much more tightly contested affair.
Kenta Nishimoto will face Rasmus Gemke in the other semi-final match.
In the women’s singles, Spaniard Carolina Marin was put through her paces before overcoming American Zhang Beiwen 17-21, 21-17, 21-14. She will go on to face Yvonne Li of Germany in the last four.
The other tie will see Canada’s Michelli Li square off against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara.
In the men’s doubles, Russian pair Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov look poised to face English duo Marcus Ellis-Chris Langridge in the final.
But first, they must see off the challenges of Ben Lane-Sean Vendy and Joel Eipe-Rasmus Kjaer in the semis respectively.
The women’s doubles final look set to be an all Japanese affair between Yuki Fukuhisma-Sayaka Hirota and Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara.
Fukuhisma-Hirota should pack off Danish duo Christine Busch-Amalie Schulz with ease, but Matsumoto-Nagahara will face a tricky test against Bulgarians Gabriela-Stefani Stoeva in the last four.
