Xu Chen, Ma Jin overpower Tontowi Ahmad, Liliyana Natsir in title match – Denmark Open Update
Mixed Doubles event of Yonex Denmark Open got its champion when Xu Chen-Ma Jin thrashed Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir in the final round on Sunday, October 21, 2012.
This clash of the titans took place in local badminton arena of Odense and both teams kept the audience intact for one hour and 12 minutes before wrapping the showdown with final figures of 23-21, 24-26 and 21-11.
The victorious duo prevailed in the opening and ending games whereas the Indonesian shuttlers could pocket only the second match point.
World Number one Chinese pair, who was the top seeded team in this Premier Super Series, employed all of its brilliance in the game and registered a splendid straight-set win.
However, it was not easy triumph for them as they had to sweat hard throughout three sets but their hard work yielded good results.
The opening game set overall pace of the match as both contenders remained toe-to-toe and did not allow each other to establish a notable lead.
Initially, Xu Chen and Ma Jin were in commanding position but then few fatal mistakes brought them down and they finished first half of the set with a deficit.
Later part of the game also kept swinging back and forth between both teams until the final moments as this tense tussle ended when the Chinese campaigners placed a favourable figure of 23-21.
The second set proved a tough trial of both contenders’ mental and physical fitness as they put all in their possession to achieve their respective goals.
Xu Chen and Ma Jin were looking to transform their 1-0 lead into a straight-set win while the twosome of Tontowi-Liliyana was striving to avoid a woeful defeat.
The Indonesian team performed exceptionally well while hanging by a thread to stay alive and setup a nerve-racking decider with a tight yet decisive margin of 26-24.
There was lot of fireworks expected in third set but it turned into a dead contest as the Chinese duo dominated the opposing team with a staggering knock.
Xu Chen and Ma Jin swept the table with a huge difference of ten points in 21-11 score and reserved top spot on the victory stand.
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