BADMINTON: Denmark and Japan win two at Spanish Masters

Japanese entries swept the women’s events and Denmark won two titles at the BWF World Tour’s Spain Masters in Barcelona (ESP).

Top-ranked Maya Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara won the all-Japan women’s Doubles final by defeating Ayako Saguramoto and Yukiko Takahata in straight sets while unseeded Minatsu Mitani overcame a first-set loss to outlast Dane Mia Blichfeldt in a thrilling 9-21, 23-21, 21-8 final.

The Danes did get two wins, with Rasmus Gemke winning the men’s Singles final in three sets and the Mixed Doubles team of Niclas Nohr and Sara Thygesen overcoming the top seeds, Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith of England in straight sets. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Spain Masters
Barcelona (ESP) ~ 28 August-2 September 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Rasmus Gemke (DEN); 2. Suppanyu Avihingsanon (THA); 3. 3. Toby Penty (ENG) and Yu Igarashi (JPN). Semis: Gemke d. Penty, 21-19, 21-17; Avihingsanon d. Igurashi, 2111, 21-15. Final: Gemke d. Avihingsanon, 15-21, 21-6, 21-14.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Gi Jung Kim/Yong Dae Lee (KOR); 2. Bodin Isara/Maneepong Jongjit (THA); 3. Tang Jie Chen/Wei Chong Man (MAS) and Akira Koga/Taichi Saito (JPN). Semis: Kim/Lee d. Chen/Man, 21-11, 21-17; Isara/Jongjit d. Koga/Saito, 19-21, 21-8, 21-12. Final: Kim/Lee d. Isara/Jongjit, 21-13, 21-17.

Women’s Singles: 1. Minatsu Mitani (JPN); 2. Mia Blichfeldt (DEN); 3. Kirsty Gilmour (SCO) and Line Hojmark Fruergaard (DEN). Semis: Mitani d. Gilmour, 21-15, 21-16; Blichfeldt d. Fruergaard, 21-18, 19-21, 21-12. Final: Mitani d. Blichfeldt, 9-21, 23-21, 21-8.

Women’s Doubles: 1. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (JPN); 2. Ayako Sakuramoto/Yukiko Takahata (JPN); 3. Misato Aratama/Akane Watanabe (JPN) and Maiken Fruergaard/Sara Thygesen (DEN). Semis: Sakuramoto/Takahata d. Aratama/Watanabe, 21-11, 21-14. Final: Matsumoto/Nagahara d. Sakuramoto/Takahata, 21-17, 21-13.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Niclas Nohr/Sara Thygesen (DEN); 2. Marcus Ellis/Lauren Smith (ENG); 3. Kohei Gondo/Ayane Kurihara (JPN) and Tang Jie Chen/Yen Wei Peck (MAS). Semis: Ellis/Smith d. Gondo/Kurihara, 21-17, 21-16; Nohr/Thygesen d. Chen/Peck, 21-10, 21-18. Final: Nohr/Thygesen d. Ellis/Smith, 21-19, 21-17.