The 2024 Denmark Open, held in Odense, concluded on October 20th with some thrilling finals. In the men’s singles, Anders Antonsen secured his second Denmark Open title, delighting the home crowd. With local favorite Viktor Axelsen out of the competition due to illness, Antonsen carried the hopes of Danish fans. He triumphed over Japan’s Watanabe Koki in a straight-set victory, 21-15, 21-16, showcasing his endurance and strategic play, especially during an intense rally on match point.
“There’s nothing better than winning titles like this. It doesn’t get much bigger,” said Antonsen with satisfaction as reported by Badminton World Tour from BWF. “I’m happy to move on from the Olympics, and all the other things I’ve been through.”
“It’s great to claim another home title. With Japanese players, if you are not consistent or don’t work hard, you are in for a tough task. The key was to stay tough and stick to the game plan.”
Meanwhile, Watanabe conceded defeat with grace.
“He has amazing physic and his ability to control the shuttle is superb. That’s what makes him so hard to beat,” acknowledged the world No.13 about being 4-0 down in their head-to-head. “My aim remains breaking into the top five and eventually becoming world No.1.”
In the women’s singles, Wang Zhiyi of China dominated her final against An Se-young of South Korea, winning 21-10, 21-12. The match saw Wang outpace and outplay An, who struggled to match Wang’s speed and precision. This victory marked Wang’s first Super 750 event title and her fifth singles title of the year, solidifying her top spot in the World Tour rankings.
“My body wasn’t moving with the flow I would have liked but she was just too strong. There’s no time to relax as it’s straight home to prepare for the next run of tournaments.” Said An Se-young following her loss to Wang Zhiyi.
The men’s doubles title was clinched by Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China, who defeated Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, 21-18, 21-17. In the women’s doubles, the Japanese pair Iwanaga Rin and Nakanishi Kie overcame Lui Shengshu and Tan Ning, 21-18, 21-14. The mixed doubles saw a thrilling three-game battle, with Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping coming from behind to beat Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, 15-21, 21-18, 21-17.
The event showcased top-level badminton, with impressive performances across all categories, reinforcing the Denmark Open’s reputation as a premier badminton tournament.