Carolina Marin’s feats throughout her career are already impressive enough but to make a comeback at 30 years old after two serious injuries and continue gathering big results, is on quite another level.

Just this year alone, the Rio 2016 gold medallist proved she’s back at the top — winning European Games gold, World Championships silver, plus a title and two runner-up finishes on the HSBC BWF World Tour.

“To be back at my top level is unbelievable. It was hard to believe in myself again,” said the Spaniard about the process of climbing back up. “And here I am, one more final.”

Standing in her way to the grand match was Pusarla V. Sindhu. The historic rivalry between the two added to the excitement and it was the clash many fans had hoped for, with Pusarla also nearing her best, making her second straight semifinal – for the first time since January 2022 – after last week’s Arctic Open.

Marin secured a 21-18 19-21 21-7 win in a heated three-game clash, in which both players received a yellow card following a verbal exchange at the net in the decider.

Carolina Marin 🇪🇸 and Pusarla V. Sindhu 🇮🇳 put up a fight for a finals spot.#BWFWorldTour #DenmarkOpen2023 pic.twitter.com/hdCbWKz8H2

— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 21, 2023

“I didn’t like this kind of moment, mainly for the spectators, us arguing on court. We have to fight for the match but not against each other,” Marin admitted.

Tomorrow, the world No.6 faces Chen Yu Fei. The last time they met, the Chinese shuttler snatched a Super 1000 title from the reigning European champion, back in June at the Indonesia Open.

“I feel proud of myself. I just want to enjoy (the final) and give my best.”

Interestingly, Marin only has one Super 750 title, from way back in 2018 (Japan Open). She has since lost three finals – the French Open in 2019 and 2022 and Denmark Open in 2020.

*Reporting in collaboration with Badminton Europe