Ronan Labar and Audrey Fontaine blew the spectators minds by defeating the seconds seeds Lu Kai and Huang Yaqiong from China.
The French finally put the spectators out of their misery after no less than nine match points. Two sets of nail biting action were completed in 49 minutes; 21-19, 30-29.
- It’s quite amazing to win 30-29 against those kinds of players who are used to this stress and these situations, Labar told the press after their intense match.
- When we go on court we always believe even though that there is a small chance and I think today we managed to take the small chance.
- We kept fighting, we tried to keep believing in it and I think we felt comfortable because we won the first one. So, we just said to each other that we had to go for it and try what we can on every point, Fontaine says on how they kept coming back after missing out on the match points.
The best match
Labar and Fontaine showed great spirit all the way through the match, and the victory holds great meaning to the both of them.
- Just before the game we said that we wanted to feel pleasure and try what we can on court, Fontaine said and agreed with Labar that they really enjoyed this match.
- After the European medal [2017 mixed doubles bronze], this is the best one for me. It’s the first time I beat someone in the top 10, Labar said and smiled.
From qualifications to quarters
A fresh breath of air in European mixed doubles washed in over the second round at Denmark Open, on Thursday.
European silver medalists from 2016, Sara Thygesen and Niclas Nøhr from, are playing their first tournament together after Nøhr’s injury, and it feels like the last year apart never happened.
- This victory means a lot and it is a great verification for us, first of all that I can handle playing on this level, and also that we fall back together as a team. That we find each other on court this quickly is a very positive thing for us, Nøhr told Badminton Europe.
The Danish pair have battled all the way through qualifications and can look forward to a Superseries Premier quarter-final next.
Tabeling and Seinen from the Netherlands were almost included in the schedule for Friday, but lost: 28-26, 19-21, 18-21.
Find more results and live scores from Denmark Open
here.