Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje, who have already clinched a Super 750 title at the Singapore Open this year and were French Open runner-ups in 2021, are now on a mission to claim glory on home soil in the VICTOR Denmark Open 2023.
Christiansen and Bøje battled Ye Hong Wei and Lee Chia Hsin from Chinese Taipei. The match had its dramatic twists, sharp turns, and some intense moments to delight the crowd.
The Danish duo started strong, turning up the quality in the first game. Their opponents swiftly rallied back in the second game, upping the ante to snatch the second game. Christiansen detailed the intense encounter, "We got off to a great start, and we were also strong in the second game, but they managed to come up."
The decider was a close one at first, but Christiansen believed they were the more resilient pair. He continued, "It’s almost like flipping a coin in the third game. I think we were the strongest and we kept our calm. We were better in the end." There were intense moments, including a yellow card for Ye, and the Danish duo ultimately sealed the victory, 21-17, 18-21, 21-13.
In their pursuit of a coveted spot in the final, they will face formidable duo Yan Zhe Feng/ Dong Ping Huang. The pairs have crossed paths twice this year, with their head-to-head standing at 1-1. Bøje commented on their previous victory over the Chinese pair, who also shared the home advantage at the World Championships in Copenhagen, “Feng and Huang are world-class players. We managed to win last time but it’s a new match tomorrow.”
It will be a tough clash, but the Danes are up for the challenge. "They are prepared for what we are going to bring, so we hope for a good game, and of course, we hope to take the win," Bøje concluded.