Badminton quarter-finals of the 2023 European Games have just been held. Top  seeds in men's singles and women's singles, Viktor Axelsen and Carolina Marin, made it to the semifinals.
The world's best men's badminton player Viktor Axelsen in the quarter-finals effortlessly eliminated Finland's Kalle Koljonen with a score of 21-10, 21-9.
Kalle Koljonen in the group stage made a surprise against 2nd seed and defending champion Anders Antonsen.
Axelsen in semifinal meet 3rd seed from France, Toma Junior Popov. In the two previous meetings, Axelsen always won over Toma Junior.
Toma Junior Popov advanced to the semifinal after defeating non-seeded player from Belgium, Julien Carraggi, with a score of 21-16, 21-15.
Christo, Toma's younger sibling, also made it into the semifinals. Christo Popov won a tough match against Dutch player Mark Caljouw.
Christo Popov won easily 21-6 in the first game. Caljouw in the second game maked easy win 21-9.
The third game was fierce and dramatic. Christo celebrate victory too early  in the position of match point 21-20, when his shuttlecock was declared entered to oppopent field by umpire.
However, the line judge declared the shuttlecock out. The results were revised by the umpire, so the score was 21-21.
Christo Popov had protested strongly against umpire, and had also been cranky about delaying the match. Umpire finally gave a yellow card to Christo.
Christo Popov shouted by his father who is also as coach, to remain calm. Christo was finally able to win the third game with a score of 25-23.
Christo Popov meeting Israeli player Misha Zilberman in semifinal. In the previous two meetings, Christo always beaten Misha.
Misha Zilberman in the quarter-finals won in a fierce duel against Felix Burestedt which ended 17-21, 21-14, 21-19.
Seeded number 1 from Spain, Carolina Marin, won without difficulty over Kristin Kuuba in the quarter-finals which ended with a score of 21-10, 21-10.
Marin met the 5th seed from Great Britain, Kirsty Gilmour, in semifinal. Meeting record was dominated by Marin who won 9-2 over Gilmour.
Kirsty Gilmour in the quarter-finals won hard over the 2015 European Games champion, Line Kjaersfeldt.
Kirsty Gilmour needed 69 minutes on court to beaten Kjaersfeldt in rubber sets 16-21, 21-11, 21-19.
Unseeded player from Switzerland, Jenjira Stadelmann made a surprise by defeating the 6th seed from Belgium, Lianne Tan.
Jenjira appeared full of confidence so she was able to win rubber set 21-12, 7-21, 21-19 over Lianne Tan, the silver medalist at the 2015 European Games.
Qualification for the semifinals made Jenjira Stadelmann listed as a first Swiss badminton player medalist at the European Games.
Jenjira Stadelmann in the semifinal met defending champion who is also the 2nd seed from Denmark, Mia Blichfeldt.
Mia Blichfeldt beat Turkiye's Neslihan Yigit in the quarter-finals with a score of 21-18, 21-8
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