GABRIELA STOEVA STEFANIA STOEVAGreat Badminton in Milan with Europe performing at its best in today’s semifinals and obtaining nine out of ten of the places available for the finals that will be held tomorrow at Palabadminton, via Cimabue.

In men’s singles, German Marc Zwiebler has dominated: he was able to impose himself in his semifinal on Thomas Rouxel, France, in two sets  (21-9; 21-8). Now, Brice Levardez  only,  another French player, interposes between him and the title. Levardez, seeded second in the main draw had quite a hard time to win over Scottish Kierran Merrilees, whom he defeated only at the end of the third set (16-21; 21-17; 21-19) after an extremely intense match.

Chinese Taipei Chia Hsin Lee , the unexpected surprise of the Italian International, will have to settle with her bronze medal. She was able to get rid of Beatriz Corrales, Spain,  first seed of the main draw, , but she surrendered after two sets (21-13; 21-11) to German Olga Konon who will play tomorrow against Nathalia Koch Rodhe, Denmark, who won in two sets (21-19; 21-16) over  Linda Zetchiri, Bulgaria, seeding number three

MARK ZWIEBLER

In the mixed double anticipations were respected: Danish Niclas Nohr and Sara Thygessen, won this morning over the English pair Nottingham/Towler (21-18; 21-19) and then,  in the afternoon, over the German pair  Seidel/Efler in two sets  (21-14; 21-10). In the final act of the competition they will challenge the surprising English pair  Matthew Nottingham and Emily Westwood, who were able to eliminate many best seeding players throughout all the tournament up to the semifinals where they beat the Russian pair Kargaev/Bolotova  who had almost reached the foot of the  podium, .

In the men’s double, the final will be an all Danish derby with  Antonsen Kasper and Niclar Nohr, who were able to get rid of the Polish pair Cwalina/Wacha, , the 2013 edition winners,  in two sets (25-23; 21-16). Tomorrow the Danish pair will challenge their two compatriots  Mathias Christiansen and David Daugaard who reached the finals without playing because of German  Lamsfuss/Seidel withdrawal. 

Finally in the women’s double we can certainly say that the Bulgarian Stoeva systers, Gabriela and Stefania, number 12 of  the world, were all but disappointing: they managed, even if with some difficulties, to win in three sets (21-12; 16-21; 21-15) over the intimidating Danish pair Fruergaard/Thygessen, and tomorrow they will have to face the amazing Austrialian duo  Setyana Mapasa and Gronya Somerville, not highly estimated at the beginning of the competition, and able to score a double  21-16 over the  Russian pair  Chervyakova/Morozova.

BRICE LEVERDEZThe waiting to find out who will be the champion of the 15th edition of the  Yonex Italian International is  almost over. We will  only have to live the five final matches that will start tomorrow morning at 10.00.

Yonex Italian International 2015 Program
Tuesday December 8: 09.00 – 20.00 (Qualifications)
Wednesday December 9: 09.00 – 22.00 (Sixteenth and Eighths of finals)
Thursday December 10: 10.00 – 20.00 (Quarter and Semifinals)
Friday December 11: 10.00 – 14.00 (Finals, live streaming on: BadmintonItalia TV and Sportube)

Link of the Tournament: http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/matches.aspx?id=705DF65F-FCA1-4EC7-ACEE-12892B77B4EB

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