Denmark Open: Straight Off the Road, Li Rocks Pusarla
Yvonne Li’s day began with a message and a decision.
· DIANNE PIERRE
Late on Monday evening, she was informed she had been promoted from the reserves list into the main draw of the VICTOR Denmark Open 2026. By sunrise, she was in her car, making the three-hour journey from Hamburg to Odense. A few hours later, she was standing on Court 2 having pulled off one of the biggest results of the opening round – the world No.45 stunned Pusarla V. Sindhu 13-21 25-23 21-19 in a 65-minute thriller.
“I got the message last night and drove to Odense this morning,” Li said. “After a three-hour drive, I just played. I can’t really believe it.”
After being outplayed in the opening game, Li gradually wrestled control from the Indian shuttler. She found greater variation at the net and slowed the tempo at crucial moments, forcing Pusarla out of her comfort zone.