Without A Hitch, Dejan/Serena Qualify For Second Round Of BWF World Championships In Spain

Dejan Ferdinandansyah/Serena Kani (Photo: Antara))

JAKARTA - Indonesian mixed doubles Dejan Ferdinansyah/Serena Kani qualified for the first round of the 2021 BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain, Monday, Dejan/Serena won over Irish pair Paul Reynolds/Rachael Darragh.

The only representative of the Red and White won without a hitch with two straight games 21-14, 21-16 through a 37-minute match which took place on the first field.

Quoted from Antara, the 97th-ranked pair immediately stepped on the gas in the opening game and scored a 6-0 lead over Paul/Rachael.

There are no significant obstacles for the mixed doubles club under PB Djarum to pack the advantage of the 94th-ranked pair.

Once again Dejan/Serena preceded the score with 6-0 at the start of the second game, making both of them play even more determined to immediately end the Paul/Rachael resistance in their first meeting today.

But the match became tight when Paul/Rachael caught up and reduced the score difference by scoring five points in a row to make it 12-11.

Reluctant to be pressured any longer, Dejan/Serena also tidied up their game more solidly and neatly. They managed to reply by creating seven points in a row and leaving their opponents to 19-11.

Paul/Rachael still had time to fight back and scored four consecutive points to chase the score to 20-16.

With Dejan/Serena already on match points, they are only one step away from ensuring that they qualify for the round of 32. Paul/Rachael didn't even have a chance to catch up and were forced to end their game today.

Next in the second round, Dejan/Serena will meet German mixed doubles Mark Lamsfuss/Isabel Lohau who is seeded 11th.

The match in the round of 32 of the World Championships, which has entered its 26th edition, will be the first meeting between Dejan/Serena and Lamsfuss/Lohau.