Alsatian Badminton Players Shine at European Championships: Five Qualify for Quarter-Finals

Of the six Alsatians entered this week at the 30th individual European championships in Saarbrücken, five have been invited to the quarter-finals and will compete for a medal this Friday. For one of them, the charm is even already in his pocket.

In a mixed race which will end on Saturday one day ahead of the other four tables, Thom Gicquel from Mulhouse and Camblysian Delphine Delrue qualified for the semi-finals on Thursday and will at least take bronze. But after the silver of the 29th edition in 2022 and the 2023 European Games, the 13th in the world and the No. 2 seeds want gold.

On this 4th day of the continental tournament, they dismissed without trembling the Germans Jones Ralfy Jansen and Thuc Fuong Nguyen, 97th (21-15, 21-17), and will face the Danes Mathias Thyrri and Amalie Magelund, 22nd, for a place in the final. and n°4, in an unprecedented duel scheduled around 9:30 p.m.

Four other Alsatians will play their quarters during this 5th day. Rosy Pancasari was not really expected at such a party. But after eliminating the Swiss Jenjira Stadelmann, 67th, in the previous round of the women’s singles, the Strasbourg native, 87th, confirmed her sparkling form by taking her revenge (19-21, 21-15, 21-12) on the Danish Red Star Mulhouse, Mia Blichfeldt, seeded 2 and 22nd (11th in 2019 and again 14th in the fall of 2023).

The 2023 and 2024 French vice-champion had never beaten a rival ranked so high. To get into the last four and win a gem, she will have to defeat Turkey’s Neslihan Arin, 39th and n°7, at 10 a.m., who outclassed her in Portugal last year (21-9, 21-12). ). She has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In men’s singles, Arnaud Merklé (RSM), 46th, and Alex Lanier (ASPTTS), 48th, will pursue the same objective. But the mission of the first, who was defeated in the eighth by the Irishman Nhat Nguyen, 43rd and n°7 (21-15, 21-18), promises to be arduous. The 2021 French champion will have to take on a hell of a challenge around 3 p.m. against the Dane Anders Antonsen, 4th (ex-n°2) and seeded 2, 2019 world vice-champion, 2021 European champion and vice-champion of Europe 2017 and 2022.

Alex Lanier’s golden opportunity

For Alex Lanier, the medal is within reach. Faller Thursday of the German Fabian Roth, 86th (23-21, 21-11), despite a slack at the end of a first act snatched after having saved a set shuttle, he will leave at 2 p.m. with a psychological ascendancy on the Finn Joakim Oldorff, 68th, whom he dominated three times in four meetings.

In the women’s doubles, only one of the three French pairs “survived” on Thursday. For their entry into a competition where they are also eyeing gold, the Mulhouseienne Margot Lambert and the Parisian Anne Tran, 19th and n°2, still had to work ahead of the English Chloe Birch and Estelle Van Leeuwen, 122nd. , erasing two second set shuttlecocks (21-10, 22-20).

On the road to their first medal at the Euro, the ”tanned” of the 2023 European Games will find around 1:30 p.m. the Scottish Julie MacPherson and Clara Torrance, 46th and n°6, whom they defeated two times out of three, at 1st round of Euro 2022 (21-10, 21-15), then, precisely, in the quarters of the European Games (21-13, 16-21, 21-13).

For Sharone Bauer and Francilienne Emilie Vercelot, 76th, this Euro ended with a third failure in as many matches against the Turks Bengisu Ercetin and Nazlican Inci, 71st and n°8 (13-21, 16-21) . The Strasbourgeoise is the only regional to have missed the quarter train.

The reactions of the five qualified Alsatians

Margot Lambert (Red Star Mulhouse, women’s doubles): “We believed in it even if we were behind throughout the second set and if we had two sets against us. We knew we could turn the situation around. That’s what we did. It’s very good to win in two sets today. »

Rosy Pancasari (ASPTT Strasbourg, women’s singles): “I feel very proud of what I have done since the first match. Mia Blichfeldt has more experience at the international level. I just arrived. She’s an attacking player and so I tried to defend well, not to make mistakes, to be patient. In the end, she couldn’t find the solution anymore and I went all in. Friday against the Turk, I will still try to do my best. »

Thom Gicquel (Red Star Mulhouse, already medalist in mixed): “We were aggressive and we blocked the space in front. The German tried to move forward, but as soon as he was pushed back by passing over them, they had difficulty keeping up. That was the key today. »

Arnaud Merklé: “It’s going to be great”

Arnaud Merklé (Red Star Mulhouse, men’s singles): “I drew a lot on my resources. Nhat is a very physical player, who likes to expand the field. He knows that I have a good attack and that when I’m fresh, it could be hard for him (the two men now have two victories overall). So, he wants to make the exchanges last. He defended very well. The key was not to rush into attack and I was countered less than usual. I saved energy for the good times. I played more calm, more mature and I am very happy with my management of the match. I didn’t burn my wings in attack, trying crazy things when he defended very well. I’m offering myself the pleasure of playing again tomorrow (Friday). I hope to be even better in a room that I get used to. Antonsen is world No. 4. I often see him play, so I already know his game. It’s clear that he won’t get a medal easily, because I want it too. It’s going to be awesome. »

Alex Lanier (ASPTTS, men’s singles): “At the end of the first set, I was too passive, I let him come back into the game and gain confidence. But in the second, I managed to immediately take the lead and keep it. I didn’t give him any points. I gave him the points in the first set. Even when I had dips in my physical regime, I remained aggressive. I continued to play a fast game, without getting into the game a little slower and more passive. »

2024-04-11 18:59:00
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