Sara Thygesen and Maiken Fruergaard are set to end their partnership. Maiken Fruergaard will team up with Natasja Anthonisen as her new partner, while Sara Thygesen will be looking for a new partner to continue her career for the time being.
The VICTOR Denmark Open 2024 will mark the final tournament together for Sara Thygesen and Maiken Fruergaard.
After 12 years as a duo, the women’s doubles pair is parting ways, having secured six national titles, four European Championship bronze medals, and most recently, an Olympic quarterfinal spot after defeating top-tier pairs this summer.
“It’s the end of a long partnership, and in many ways, it feels like saying goodbye to a family member after being together for so long. We’ve shared countless experiences and grown together as players and individuals,” said Sara Thygesen.
She pointed to the 2020 Indonesia Masters, where they reached the final, as one of the highlights of their career.
“That tournament was one of those special moments where everything clicked. It was the beginning of the playing style we perfected over the past five years, and it all culminated in the Olympic memory this summer. This partnership has meant so much to me, and now I have to figure out what’s next. I still want to keep playing for a while, but I’ll see what opportunities come up,” Thygesen added.
Maiken Fruergaard also shared fond reflections on their partnership.
“I’ve always partnered with Sara during my time on the national team, so it’s emotional to see this chapter end. We’ve had our ups and downs, played fun matches, and achieved fantastic results together. We brought out the best in each other, and I truly enjoyed our time as a team,” said Fruergaard.
Fruergaard, 29, will now pair with Natasja Anthonisen, who is six years younger.
“It will be a big adjustment for me, having only played with Sara, but I’m ready for the challenge and will give it my all. Natasja is younger, so I hope I can share some of my experience with her, but I also believe we’ll learn a lot from each other. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish,” said Fruergaard.
Jens Meibom, Director of Elite Sports at Badminton Denmark, also acknowledged the end of the 12-year partnership between Sara Thygesen and Maiken Fruergaard.
“We are incredibly thankful for their contribution to Danish badminton over the years, especially their commitment to the national team. They have been key members of the squad for the past decade and have shown they can compete against the best in the world. Their fantastic performance at the Olympics, beating top-level opponents, was a great way to finish. We are optimistic about the new pairing of Maiken and Natasja, and we will work to find a suitable partner for Sara as she
Natasja Anthonisen, who will now return to playing with a Danish partner after a year partnering with Dutch player Alyssa Tirtosentono, has officially been admitted to Badminton Denmark’s elite program.
Although she has been training at Brøndby Hallen for the past three years, she expressed her gratitude for the formal recognition.
“It means so much to me to receive this acknowledgment. It’s been my goal since I started training at Brøndby, and it feels great to know I’m on the right path. I’m really looking forward to starting my partnership with Maiken, and hopefully, we can achieve great results together,” says Anthonisen.
