The name of Anders Antonsen has been the name on the lips of many at the beginning of this new circuit season in Europe. Indeed the European Junior Champion had a good tournament in Poland this week adding a runners up spot to the win he got in Belgium last week.

But it was another in the now famous Antonsen family that stole the show in Bierun as Kasper walked away with two titles as he starts to fullfill his potential after winning the men’s doubles European Junior title in 2013 in Ankara.

After Anders lost the opening final Kasper made amends taking the men’s doubles title alongside Niclas Nohr. The Danes came back after losing the opening game to home favourites Szkudlarczyk and Pietryja to claim the title and end all home hopes of a gold on finals day.

Kasper Antonsen soon added the mixed doubles title to his earlier men’s doubles title partnering Amanda Madsen to gold. The Danes had a good run to the quarter finals in Belgium last week only losing out to world number 14 pair Fuchs and Michels of Germany in three games.

Today The Danes proved that run was no fluke and destroyed top seeded Malaysians Wong Fai Lin and Mei Kuan Chow in two games 21-19 21-12.

Swedes spring surprise in Bierun

Probably the surprise of the tournament was the ease at which new Swedish pair Emma Wengberg and Clara Nistad cruised through the tournament to eventually run out winners in three games over Birch & Pugh of England.

The Swedes would never have been marked down as a potential threat to the podium but proved this week in Poland that the mixture of Wengberg’s experience and the youthful skills of Nistad just might be a partnership worth persevering with from a Swedish perspective.

The Swedes did not drop a single game en route to today’s final and their quarter final win over second seeded Danes Madsen & Nielsen was an indication to all that this pair might just be the find of the season for Sweden.
A mid match slump saw Wengberg and Nistad drop the second game in today’s final before composing themselves to seal the victory with a 21-15 win in the deciding set.

Elsewhere number 7 seed Yen Mei Ho beat Chiew Sien Lim in two games to claim the women’s singles title in an all Malaysian final.

For all results from Polish International click HERE

Article and Image by Mark Phelan for Badminton Europe.