(Credit: Mark Phelan)
Date: 1/21/2019 12:11 AM
Badminton rolls on in 2019 with the Indonesian Masters taking place throughout the week.
Some of the World's top Badminton players will be heading to Jakarta from the 22nd to the 27th January as they look to get their hands on the title in the Super 500 event.
Vittinghus – I'm just enjoying my passion
Denmark's Hans-Kristan Solberg Vittinghus is just one of the European hopefuls heading to Jakarta next week.
The World number 25 is coming off a last 16 exit to fellow countryman Viktor Axelsen in the Malaysian Masters last week, but was happy with his performance in Kuala Lumpur.
- Speaking to Badminton Europe Vittinghus said. I liked the way that I played and the level that I showed in Malaysia. Beating Tsuneyama (Kanta) in the first match and keeping it close with Viktor (Axelsen) in the second. I know if I keep up these performances then I'm sure I can produce some good results this year.
The Dane has been given a tough task in the opening round,where he takes on the World number 15 Khosit Phetpradab (Thailand). Vittinghus knocked out Phetpradab at the exact same stage of this tournament last year but is still expecting a challenging match.
- Vittinghus said. I'm looking forward to playing Khosit. He's a very skilled player and given how close the match between us last year was, I'm sure we will both believe in our chances to win. Who won last year is not really important once you get out on court.
Having just turned 33, Vittinghus says he's now just out to enjoy the game as he enters the latter stages of his career.
- The Dane told Badminton Europe. In terms of for me, my only goal is to enjoy the game. This is no longer a results game for me. It is all about me enjoying my passion and being happy with what I am doing and how I am playing.
Who can break the European curse?
In the history of the Indonesian Masters, there has never been a European winner and a number of the continents top players will be looking to change that come finals day.
Carolina Marin will be looking to go one step better than she could manage in Malaysia last week. The Spaniard lost to Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) in the final 21-9 22-20 but will still be confident of her chances in Jakarta.
Elsewhere, the Danish pair of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen are seeded 5th for the event in Indonesia and the World Tour Final competitors will be hoping to make a big impact here. As will their compatriot Axelsen, who continues his recovery from an ankle injury which he suffered in October. The Dane is seeded 6th in Indonesia and will be hoping to improve on last weeks Semi Final defeat to China's Chen Long with a strong performance here.
Finally, in the Mixed Doubles, England's Chris and Gabrielle Adcock are the final seeded European players for the tournament. The husband and wife pair opened up their 2019 with a quarter final defeat in Malaysia and are set to take on India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa in the opening round on Tuesday.
See the full draw here