Brenda Beenhakker

Brenda Beenhakker (born 18 February 1977) is a retired Dutch badminton player. She is the former European junior champion in the girls' singles event in 1995. She won Dutch National Championships for 8 times; 5 times in singles (1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) and 3 times in doubles (2005 – with Karina de Wit, 2006 & 2007 – with Judith Meulendijks).

Career Beenhakker surprised as a seventeen-year-old junior in 1995 by becoming women's singles Dutch National champion. When she was eleven, she became the Dutch junior champion for the first time. Hereafter several youth titles in her and higher age categories followed. A few months after her first championship with seniors in 1995, she was also crowned as European Junior Champion, becoming the first ever Dutch to win the girls' singles title. Beenhakker played badminton for BC Smashing (Wijchen) in the Dutch premier league. She won a bronze medal at the 2002 European Badminton Championships in Malmö, Sweden. She stopped playing international tournaments in April 2006, after a badminton career lasting for 19 years.

The Arnhem player started badminton when she was ten years old, after having been interested in playing tennis before. Beenhakker is married, has a daughter and has been working at a childcare center in Wijchen since 2008. As of 2009/10 season, she succeeded Frans Rademaker as trainer of BC Smashing. She had also given training at the Dutch clubs BECA Arnhem and BC Mariken in Nijmegen.

Achievements

European Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 2002 Baltiska hallen, Malmö, Sweden Mia Audina 1–7, 6–8, 1–7 Bronze Bronze

European Junior Championships Girls' singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1995 Športová hala Olympia, Nitra, Slovakia Mette Justesen 11–0, 4–11, 12–10 Gold Gold

IBF International Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1995 Welsh International Elena Rybkina 4–11, 6–11 Runner-up 1997 Austrian International Judith Meulendijks 1–11, 11–8, 9–12 Runner-up 1997 Welsh International Judith Meulendijks 11–4, 11–6 Winner 1999 Australian International Sandra Dimbour 3–11, 5–11 Runner-up 2001 French International Tine Rasmussen 7–2, 8–6, 5–7, 7–1 Winner 2001 Welsh International Sara Persson 7–5, 7–5, 7–0 Winner 2002 Dutch International Karina de Wit 7–5, 7–0, 7–4 Winner 2003 Dutch International Kamila Augustyn 5–11, 4–11 Runner-up 2005 USA SCBA International Miyo Akao 7–11, 11–7, 11–2 Winner

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2005 Finnish International Paulien van Dooremalen Sandra Marinello Kathrin Piotrowski 11–15, 1–15 Runner-up