Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis won in straight games in their first match since All England 2020.
14 March 2020. Semi-finals day at All England 2020 and the last time the 2019 European Games mixed doubles champions competed internationally. Exactly seven months later they walked on court to play their first match at the Denmark Open 2020.
Smith and Ellis faced fellow Europeans, Jones Ralfy Jansen and Kilasu Ostermeyer from Germany, and although they did not enter court for more than half a year, the world number nine and highest ranked European mixed doubles looked comfortable on court.
One way traffic
The English got the perfect start leading 7-0 in the opening game, and from there it was one way traffic. Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis won the first game 21-8, and in the second game the picture was the same.
The English had a solid lead at the interval, 11-6, and the second seeds are ready to the second round winning 21-12 against the Germans in the second game.
- We started the game very strongly, and I think that helped us settling back to the old routine. A part of me feels it has been ages since we played a competitive match, and the other part of me was just natural instincts coming back. Of course, it is different this year, but it is great to be back, Lauren Smith said.
- We knew it was important to start well, which we managed. We felt sharp out there, but the next match will be a completely different one, Marcus Ellis added.
In the second round Ellis and Smith will be facing either Ruben Jille/Imke van der Aar (Netherlands) or Mathias Thyrri/Mai Surrow (Denmark).