The Danish mixed double Mathias Christiansen/Christinna Pedersen had been playing impressive matches during DANISA DENMARK OPEN 2018 presented by VICTOR and expectations on home ground were high for the Danish duo. But after a close first set, former world champions Tontiwi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir took control and overpowered the Danes.
Read today’s prelude to get the scoop on Friday’s matches
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During the start of the first set, the Indonesian quarter-finalists in mixed doubles Liliyana Natsir/Tontowi Ahmad succeed in delivering serves which brings trouble for the Danish duo.
- The Indonesians deliver great serves today, which makes it hard for us to get on top of the situation within the first three points, but we have to give credit, they played very well today, said Christinna Pedersen after the match.
The truly exciting part of the first set arrives when the score hits 20-20. The Danish pair loses a point when Mathias Christiansen delivers a serve that is deemed too high, but it only seems to make the Danes fight even harder.
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At 23-24, a thrilling duel has the whole crowd in a frenzy. A short drop forces Christiansen down on the floor, but he manages to get back up, while his partner Christinna Pedersen is holding down the fort. During the same duel Christiansen impressively catches the ball as it’s close to the ground. The couple wins the duel but loses the set.
During the second set, Ahmad/Natsir are completely in control. The Danish couple tries to catch up but is not successful. After the break they fall further and further behind and several mistakes at the end of second set sends the Danish duo packing, which means that Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir are on to the semi-finals tomorrow.
The Indonesians will be up against Siwei Zheng and Yaqiong Huang (China), who are currently the highest ranked mixed double in the world.
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