Circuit

Iikka Heino celebrates his journey to quarter finals in Finland. Photo: Mark Phelan/Badminton Europe
Brothers in Arms
Date: 4/6/2018 8:40 PM
Published by : Mark Phelan
As the highest ranked Finnish men’s singles many would have expected Kalle Koljonen to be the last man standing from a Finnish perspective at their home international. A combination of fatigue for Koljonen after coming late from the Danish league semi finals last night and the excellent play from the Heino Brothers means that Eetu & Iikka are now the ones to watch from the home contingent in Vantaa. 

Eetu, the older of the brothers, was in commanding form in his two matches today and winning in two sets in both matches was pleasing.

-The matches may have looked easy by the score but I can tell you they were not. It is always a difficult thing to play at home but I am of course happy to be through to the quarter finals at home.

Eetu Heino was also bullish about his chances this week and was quick to point out his intentions in front of the home fans.

-I am not here to just play this week, I am here to win.

Meanwhile the younger Heino was not having it all his own way en route to the quarter final. Iikka, who lives and trains in Denmark, was pushed to three games against Indian Yeligar and in his second round match against another Indian was pushed hard in two games. 

-The games have bene tough but also enjoyable. It is such a nice feeling to win here and get into the quarter finals. 

If both brothers manage to win tomorrow in their respective quarter finals they set up a bragging rights match between themselves which would sure to be a crowd pleaser in front of the home fans. 

End of the line for top seeds Nystrom & Kaisti

As top seeds there was always going to be a certain amount of home pressure on Jenny Nystrom and Anton Kaisti (pictured above). The Finns knew coming into this tournament that the mixed doubles field was riddled with high level Asians and the Finns fell to one of those pairs but not without a fight. 

After coming through qualification Chun Kang Shia & Tee Jing Yi were the pair that drove the nail into the Finnish coffin but Nystrom & Kaisti went down fighting only loosing in two tight games 21-19 23-21. 

Another mixed casualty on day two were Orleans Masters finalists Olga Konon and Peter Kaesbauer. Indonesian pair Islami and Prasetya executed revenge from Orleans last week where the Germans came out on top but this time a third set win 21-15 for the Indonesians sees them advance to the quarter finals. 


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