New Danish Mixed Doubles combination Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Alexandra Boje made the second round of the 2018 European Championships yesterday in Huelva, Spain.
The Danish combination (featured image), which was formed at the Yonex German Open this March, overcame France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delue 21-16 23-21 to earn a spot against top seeds Chris Adcock/Gabrielle Adcock (England).
Fischer’s former partner Christinna Pedersen also made the second round with Mathias Christiansen; the second seeds comfortably navigating past Ireland’s Sam Magee/Chloe Magee 21-18 21-16. They will take on Russia’s Rodion Alimov/Alina Davletova, who surprised England’s Ben Lane/Jessica Pugh 21-19 27-25.
While the doubles feature a draw of 32, the two singles have draws of 64. The top two seeds in Men’s Singles – Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and Anders Antonsen – had first round byes. Defending champion Rajiv Ouseph (England) too had a bye, and he will next face Spain’s Luis Enrique Penalver, who was stretched to three games by Croatia’s Zvonimir Durkinjak, 21-19 13-21 21-13.
Others in the second round were Russia’s Sergey Sirant, who beat Czech Republic’s Milan Ludik 21-11 21-11; Ukraine’s Artem Pochtarov (21-12 21-18 victor over Bulgaria’s Ivan Rusev), and Sweden’s Jacob Nilsson, who beat Germany’s Kai Schaeffer 21-14 22-20.
England’s Sam Parsons had a tough opening test against Austria’s Luka Wraber, 21-19 23-21 and then received a walkover from his second round opponent, Maxime Moreels of Belgium.
In Women’s Singles, Switzerland’s Sabrina Jaquet had to fight past dogged resistance from Russia’s Natalia Perminova, 21-17 13-21 21-17, while Bulgaria’s Mariya Mitsova also prevailed in three games over Czech Republic’s Zuzana Pavelkova 21-12 16-21 21-9.
Alesia Zaitsava of Belarus had a close shave against Switzerland’s Ayla Huser, 19-21 21-19 21-19, and will next face Denmark’s Line Kjaersfeldt.
Top seed Carolina Marin (Spain) received a bye; she will face France’s Marie Batomene in the second round.
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