Kim Astrup is one half of the top men’s doubles pair in Denmark, along with partner Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. 

They were in a good period right before everything closed down due to the Covid-19. They won the Nationals, then headed to France where they won the European Men’s Team Championships and lastly, they won Spain Masters the week after that. Three titles in three weeks. When everything opens up again, the Danish men’s doubles need to find that momentum again.

- We are on mandatory break at the moment, and we are using the time to improve small details, which we hadn't a chance because of a packed tournament schedule. It is nice to have control of the body, and we try to maintain as much physical and cardio as possible. But we will be hungrier than ever when we get back to the practice hall to chase our dreams. 

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Secured spot or?

Mads Conrad-Petersen, former men’s doubles player, recently retired. He will continue playing nationally but has stopped with the National Center and with international tournaments. He played with Mads Kolding for a long period, but played with Mathias Boe at the end of his career. 

With Conrad-Petersen and Boe retiring as a pair, the next Danish men’s double on the World Ranking are Mathias Bay-Smidt and Lasse Mølhede, ranked as number 51. Commenting on the men’s doubles situation and if they expect to get the Olympic spot for the Games in 2021, he says. 

- I am sad that Mads is retiring. But we have to continue our hard work and our men’s doubles group needs to get together and set a new agenda for how we should create a world class group. It is exciting, and I believe that if people are motivated and hungry, that we can find a way where we can compete and even win World Championships and Olympic medals for Denmark again. 

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Time for some peace and space

Astrup and Rasmussen won the Spain Masters back in February, got a silver medal at the European Games last year and back in 2018 they won the Super 1000, China Open. They have not claimed an Olympic or World Championships medal yet, commenting on what they need to do and improve to be able to claim that medal, Astrup says: 

- I hope that Anders and I can keep the good level and get some peace in a hectic Olympic Qualification, and I hope that, the peace can give us some space to develop and hopefully establish us in the top eight again. 

We have seen Astrup playing mixed doubles before, but when asking if there was a possibility for him playing that again, the answer was clear. 

- I am not at all considering playing mixed again, and nor do I have a desire for that. I am in men’s doubles, that is where I want to be, Astrup states.