Anders Antonsen missed out on a place in the final of the Hylo Open, a Super 500 badminton tournament in Germany, after retiring from his semi-final clash against Jonatan Christie with a suspected back injury.

The Danish world No. 3 had already lost the opening game 21-18 and was trailing 16-13 in the second when he decided to withdraw from the contest.

The victory sent Christie through to Sunday’s final, where he will face India’s Lakshya Sen.

Known for his aggressive style and powerful smashes, Jonatan Christie adopted a more patient and controlled approach in the opening game. Despite Antonsen playing from the favourable side of the court, with the wind behind him, the Indonesian managed to dictate the tempo.

His measured approach appeared to frustrate the Dane, who made several unforced errors and repeatedly found himself behind on the scoreboard. Antonsen did not initially show obvious signs of physical discomfort, but he struggled to produce his usual intensity.

Christie successfully slowed the pace of the rallies and capitalised whenever opportunities presented themselves. Although Antonsen saved two of the four game points with a late attacking surge, his efforts were not enough to prevent a 21-18 defeat.

The Dane began the second game with renewed energy and looked comfortable when he established a 12-9 advantage. However, his movement soon became noticeably restricted and sluggish.

His lead eventually disappeared as Christie turned a 10-13 deficit into a 16-13 advantage. Antonsen then walked towards the net and conceded the match, bringing his Hylo Open campaign to an early end.