COPENHAGEN • World-class badminton resumed on Tuesday for the first time in seven months although the prestigious Super 750 tournament, Denmark Open, saw its entry list shortened by the withdrawal of many big names.
The Odense tournament, which ends on Sunday, offered total prize money of US$750,000 (S$1 million) but most players from Asia - including former women's No. 1 Saina Nehwal and fellow Indian P.V. Sindhu - withdrew owing to coronavirus concerns before the start.
Men's world No. 1 Kento Momota was set to make his return following his near-death road accident in January and subsequent eye operation, but the Japanese had also decided not to travel.
Dane world No. 2 Viktor Axelsen was also absent as he continued his recuperation from ankle surgery.
Despite the withdrawal, there was still keen interest in the tournament with Japan's Nozomi Okuhara and Spain's 2016 Olympic champion Carolina Marin, the two top ranked players, set to tussle for the women's singles title.
Both got their campaign off safely, with the Japanese, world champion in 2017, taking 37 minutes to crush Scot Kirsty Gilmour 21-7, 21-19 in the first round yesterday.
On Tuesday, three-time world champion Marin got off to an even quicker start, brushing aside Natalia Perminova 21-7, 21-15 in 28 minutes.
The Russian was simply no match for the hungry Spaniard playing in her first competitive tournament since the All England in March, when she reached the semi-finals.
"I feel happy to be back, finally. The most important thing for us is our health and we have to try to enjoy being back on court, getting the competition feeling because we miss it, and to give our best in every game," Marin said.
Among the leading players in the men's singles fray is Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien-chen, who emerged from a 46-minute contest unscathed yesterday with a 21-16, 21-11 win over Denmark's Victor Svendsen, while Danish rising star Anders Antonsen beat India's Ajay Jayaram 21-12, 21-14 in 37 minutes.
Another title contender, Srikanth Kidambi of India, also cleared his first-round hurdle with a 21-12, 21-18 victory over Toby Penty of England. Japan's Kenta Nishimoto and India's Lakhsya Sen were among those who advanced to the last 16 on Tuesday.
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