DENMARK OPEN - Tine back with a bang!!

Tine Rasmussen cast aside any doubts over her fitness and condition as she took to the court this afternoon in Odense and treated her home fans to an almost exhibition-like demolition of Judith Meulendijks of the Netherlands.

By Mark Phelan (Live in Odense). Photos: Badmintonphoto.com (live)

Rasmussen (pictured left) entered the arena to the applause of the Danish crowd and looked defiantly focused and prepared for a full-on assault on the Denmark Open. The Danish number one and 2008 All England Champion did not disappoint as she immediately slipped into fifth gear, taking the opening 6 points of the first game and never looked back as she left Meulendijks trailing in her wake. The Dutch player managed to steady the ship in some respects but Rasmussen was too strong and took the first game 21-11.

In the second, Rasmussen was, if possible, even more ruthless in pushing aside any resemblance of a comeback from Meulendijks. Only once did the Dutch world number 20 manage to get in front and that was only with the very firs

t point of the game. Rasmussen seized control at 7-4 up to take the next ten points to leave Meulendijks searching for answers. At 17-4 ahead there was no imaginable way back for Meulendijks and Rasmussen duly wrapped up the game 21-7 and the match in just 26 minutes.

"I feel good after today's game and i feel like I'm back. I had a plan and I stuck to that plan and thankfully it worked out for me today," said a happy Rasmussen after her first round success.

Elsewhere in the women’s singles, Juliane Schenk went down at the first hurdle to Japan's Eriko Hirose in two straight games. Many felt Schenk would trouble any of the top seeds here in Odense after her prolific Bitburger Open win but the Japanese shuttler had the measure of any and all of Schenks attacks and convincingly put the German number one away 21-17, 21-15.

"I’m very disappointed to lose today but I must admit the she (Hirose) played very well. She was much more patient than I was today. I seemed to lose control and ultimately lose patience and she capitalised on that," said a disappointed Schenk after her defeat.

Olga Konon (pictured) proved once again that her lowly world ranking is well below her performance level as she thwarted the home court advantage of fellow qualifier Camilla Martens of Denmark. Konon, stony faced and determined, controlled her first round match from start to finish. A first game win to 16 set her up for a second game victory. The Belarusian opened the second in convincing style taking a mid-game lead 11-2. The young Danish player was unable to find a way back as Konon showed that she has the game to beat the world’s top players to run out 21-11 in the second.

"I felt really good on the practise court today but as soon as I entered the main arena I got a little nervous. But I know my game is good and I just believed in it and trusted it and now I’m into my first ever second round of a Super Series event. I look forward to tomorrow with great excitement now," said Konon.

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