German Players Shine in Qualification Rounds

The YONEX German Open Badminton Championships 2026 saw several German players successfully navigate the qualification rounds on Tuesday, earning their spots in the main tournament. Miranda Wilson and the men’s doubles team of Malik Bourakkadi and Kenneth Neumann were among those who secured victories.

Wilson Unexpectedly Reaches Main Draw

Miranda Wilson (TV Refrath) found herself in the main field of the women’s singles competition after a fortunate turn of events. “In the past few years I was always in position two, three, five, etc. On the reserve list. But no one ever canceled it. So I had ticked off a bit this year,” Wilson stated. Several athletes withdrawing allowed her to move up from fourth on the reserve list. Wilson defeated Agnes Korosi of Hungary in three sets (21:13, 16:21, 21:11) and will face second-seeded Chinese player Han Yue on Wednesday.

Wilson expressed satisfaction with her performance, saying, “That was nice and solid of me. I felt much better in terms of energy level than at the European Team Championships.”

Bourakkadi/Neumann Battle to Victory

Malik Bourakkadi and Kenneth Neumann (TV Refrath/Blau-Weiß Wittorf) likewise earned their place in the main tournament, winning against Spaniards Ruben Garcia and Carlos Piris with a score of 21:19, 23:21. The duo described the match as enjoyable, stating, “There’s always a bit of tension in the first game at a tournament. But that was a cool game, the atmosphere was excellent, it was fun.”

They had previously defeated the same opponents in Baku, Azerbaijan, two weeks prior, adding a layer of familiarity to the match. “In this respect, there was a little bit of tension, so to speak,” said the world number 76.

Bourakkadi/Neumann will now face Jiří and Ondřej Král of the Czech Republic in the first round of the main tournament.

Disappointments for Reigning Champions and Others

Despite strong efforts, several German players were eliminated in the qualification rounds. Jonathan Dresp/Simon Krax, the reigning German champions in men’s doubles, lost to Donovan Willard Wee/Jia Hao Howin Wong from Singapore (21:18, 15:21, 14:21). “We started well and didn’t do so well later,” summarized Jonathan Dresp.

Other German players who were unsuccessful in qualifying included Bjarne Geiss/Jones Jansen, Selin Hübsch/Amelie Lehmann and Patrick Volkmann/Franziska Volkmann.

Patrick Volkmann/Franziska Volkmann lost to Brian Wassink and Debora Jille from the Netherlands (13:21, 17:21). “We definitely expected more. If we did well, the game was even. But overall we didn’t really get into it,” said Patrick Volkmann, adding that a warm-up issue may have contributed to their performance. “We were physically ready, but when we had to head onto the field we hadn’t made a shot before.“

Upcoming Matches

Matthias Kicklitz, Simon Krax/Amelie Lehmann, and Malik Bourakkadi/Leona Michalski will begin their campaigns in the main draw on Wednesday. Wilson and Bourakkadi/Neumann will also return to action on Wednesday.