Match: Carolina Marin v Akane Yamaguchi
Date: 22 October, Saturday
Time: 8pm SGT/5:30pm IST/1pm BST
Competition: Denmark Open 2016
Venue: Odense Sports Park
TV Coverage: There is no tv coverage of the 2016 Denmark Open semi-final in Singapore.
Live Streaming: BWF official YouTube channel
Overview
Carolina Marin takes on Akane Yamaguchi in the semi-final of Denmark Open 2016 at the Odense Sports Park on 22 October.
Marin, who battled illness to overcome a Danish challenge in the first round, played out an arduous battle in her Friday's quarter-final against China's Sun Yu.
It was a test of mental and physical fitness at the Odense Park in the quarter-final when the top seed and seventh seed battled for a spot in the semi-final. Marin took the initial advantage by taking the first game 21-19 while Sun came back from behind to clinch the second 21-16.
In the decider, it was all going Sun's way as Marin trailed 6-14 at one point of the game. However, the Rio Olympic gold-medallist showed steely resolve to make a comeback from that position and even saved two match points, before taking the final game 27-25.
Marin once again proved why she has been one of the most intimidating shuttlers in the recent past with yet another masterclass on Friday. The world number one credited her mental strength, which according to her helped overcome a stern test against Sun.
"It [the quarter-final] was very tough. The key in this match was the mental game – whoever had more energy and power and could show they wanted to win. That was important," Marin was quoted as saying by BWF's official website.
"I tried to keep calm and think positive, even when I was frustrated by my unforced errors."
After prevailing in one of the most testing clashes of the ongoing season, Marin will be determined not to throw it away in the final stages of the tournament. Appearing in her first Superseries tournament after her Rio Olympic success, the Spaniard would want to assert her dominance with a title in Denmark.
On the other, Yamaguchi is fresh from her one-sided quarter-final victory against compatriot Nozomi Okuhara on Friday. The Japanese shuttler gave away very little against the third seed and took the match with a 21-13, 21-14 victory.
The eight seed will also take confidence from her title-winning Korea Open 2016 campaign, in which she outclassed top Korean and Japanese shuttlers. Notably, Yamaguchi also defeated Marin earlier this year at the Singapore open before facing a semi-final exit against Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon.
TV Coverage
India: Star Sports 3
