Europe will have no representation at the Hylo Open 2021 semifinals today. All European players at the quarterfinals failed to qualify against a powerful Asian side.
The last two matches gave some hopes for European representation at the Hylo Open 2021 semifinals. Last night, Denmkark’s Rasmus Gemke and Niclas Nohr/ Amalie Magelund were the last to play and the last chance for Europeans to qualify, but it couldn’t be despite their efforts in their three-game matches.
No wins despite the enormous efforts
Ben Lane/ Sean Vendy were amongst the first Europeans to step on court, facing Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh/ Kittinupong Kedren. The hour-long match saw the Englishmen being close to taking the win, but it was just a matter of a few mistakes from their side that made a difference, and the Thai duo took the win, 21-18, 20-22, 21-18.
- It was quite an evenly match. We did not play bad at all. Credits to them, they played quite well. It was just a couple of errors at the end that cost us, Sean Vendy said.
None of the Danes got to secure a spot in the semifinals either. The last time that Line Højmark Kjaersfeldt played against Thailand’s Phittayaporn Chaiwan, at the 2020 All England, Line won the encounter. It also went to three games this time, the Thai player won the gruelling match.
- I thought I made too many easy mistakes in the third game and I didn’t get the rallies going, Kjaersfeldt explained.
Rasmus Gemke and Niclas Nohr/ Amalie Magelund were in the last two matches played on the long, fourth day of the Hylo Open 2021. In another one-hour battle, Loh Kean Yew and Gemke gave the audience a great show. The last two games were close, and it was the Singaporean player who would advance to the semifinals, 21-11, 19-21, 22-20.
Similarly, Niclas Nohr/ Amalie Magelund gave a good fight against Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy/ Pitha Haningtyas Mentari. The Danes lost to the Indonesian pair in the final of this year’s Spain Masters. Rivaldy/ Haningtyas took the win once again, but the pairs took the match to three games, 20-22, 21-18, 21-13.
The local heroes miss their chance
Mark Lamsfuss/ Isabel Lohau had a tough challenge ahead in the quarterfinals as they faced Indonesia’s Praveen Jordan/ Melati Daeva Oktavianti, the second seeds. The German duo stepped up after a challenging first game, but despite winning the second, they did not seem to find their pace and lost, 21-14 18-21 21-12.
- The shuttles were completely different so we were slower than before. We had to change our tactics. They made it really difficult for us, Lamsfuss said.
It was even tougher for the other German pair, Linda Efler/ Isabel Lohau, whose opponents were Rin Iwanaga/ Kie Nakanishi, Japan. 21-15 21-16
- It was not our best performance, but it was not that bad either. We just were not steady enough. I think we are happy to have got to the quarterfinals and to have made it in front of our home crowd, Efler stated.
Today, it will be an almost all-Asian semifinals at Hylo Open 2021. Third seed Michelle Li, Canada, has also made it to the semifinals by winning against Turkey’s Aliye Demirbag in straight games. Demirbag waves good bye to the tournament but she does it proudly after securing some impressive wins after big names, such as Kirsty Gilmour.