Denmark's Jan Ø. Jørgensen defeated China's Lin Dan to reach the semi-finals of the World Championships in Jakarta on Friday. The second seed had surprisingly little trouble in beating the five-time world champion and two-time Olympic Champion from China. The European Champion won 21-12, 21-15 in just 37 minutes. It’s the third time in Jørgensen’s career he's beaten Lin Dan, who is considered by many the best badminton player of all time.
Jørgensen, who is going to play his first ever semi-final at World Championships tomorrow, will next face Malaysia's former world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei in Saturday's semi-final clash.
It was definitely not a normal victory and also not just a quarter-final win at World Championships. For the 27-year-old it was a very emotional victory as he was forced to withdraw from the World Championships on home soil in Copenhagen last year despite being a true medal contender. After the match, Jørgensen broke out in tears during an interview with a Danish television channel.
"Now here I am, playing some of the best badminton I've done ever," the 27-year-old told reporters.
Viktor Axelsen: “Pretty disappointing”
Viktor Axelsen suffered a heart-breaking loss against China’s Chen Long 18-21, 29-30. The young Dane pushing the top seed to the limit in an epic quarter-final showdown in Jakarta. A devastated Axelsen said afterwards he struggled to find rhythm and get the best of his formidable opponent.
“I was so close to getting the second game, but Chen Long played better than me here,” Axelsen told reporters after the match.
“Of course when I look back in a few days I can be proud of my performance today... but when you are so close to winning it’s pretty disappointing.”
Marin steps on the gas
Spaniard Carolina Marin advanced to the last four of the women's singles category as she beat China's Wang Shixian 21-17 21-19. The current All-England champion and world No. 1 showed no sign of the ankle injury she incurred on Thursday and kept her cool even as Wang put her through her paces in the second game. Marin will face Korean Sung Ji-Hyun after the ninth-seed beat India’s PV Sindhu 21-17, 19-21, 21-16.
Pedersen/Juhl safely through
Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl cruised past Korea’s Yoo Hae Won and Go Ah Ra 21-8, 21-10 to secure their second semi-final at World Championships in the women’s doubles. They will next take on Japan’s Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao.
World Championships campaign for Boe/Mogensen ends
In the men's doubles, Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge of England went down 21-16 22-20 to Indonesia's home favourites Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. The Britons missed the big opportunity to clinch the second game after they had three game points.
2013 World Championships runner-ups Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark suffered a loss to Chinese duo of Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan in straight games 15-21, 19¬-21.
Jacco Arends and Selena Piek crashed out of the World Championships after losing to China’s world No.2 duo Xu Chen/Ma Jin. The Dutch, who could qualify for a World Championships quarter-finals for the first time, lost 9-21, 18-21.
Adcocks hopes ended by Chris' illness
Husband and wife pair Chris and Gabby Adcock have had their mixed doubles world title bid ended by illness. They were aiming to reach the last four for the first time at the event in Jakarta but Chris was too ill to play.
Article by Manuel Rösler. All photos by BadmintonPhoto.