Denmark’s Astrup-Rasmussen to play as independent shuttlers

PETALING JAYA: Doubles shuttlers Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen will play as independent shuttlers for the first time at the World Tour Finals in Guangzhou starting today due to some problems back at home with the national body.

It is learnt that Astrup-Rasmussen and other national players in Denmark, including former world champion Viktor Axelsen, have been training on their own since Dec 3 due to some contract issues with Badminton Denmark.

In fact, the national body have prevented the players from training at the national centre and all of them have been doing their own training without any national coaches to assist.

Despite the setback, expect Astrup-

Rasmussen to give their opponents a run for their money in the Finals.

They are the only Danish representatives in the lucrative US$1.5mil (RM6.24mil) season-finale tournament.

They will take on world No. 1 pair Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of

Indonesia in their opening Group A match today.

Malaysia’s interest in the Finals is only in the mixed doubles as only Chan Peng SoonGoh Liu Ying and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie have made the cut.

Only the top eight from every events get to

compete in the Finals.

Peng Soon-Liu Ying face Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China in their first Group B match today while Soon Huat-Shevon face Dechapol Puavaranukroh- Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand in their Group B opener.