Kirsten Thorndahl

Kirsten Thorndahl (also known as 'Kirsten Granlund; 9 April 1928 – 21 September 2007) was a Danish badminton player. She reached the All England final 17 times and represented Denmark at the Uber Cup. Thorndahl had won eleven All England titles. She became the first player to become an All England Open champion in all three categories: women's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles in the same year. Despite sweeping the boards in 1948, Thorndahl did not gained so much success in the singles department despite winning 2 more national championships in 1947 and 1951 which led her to abandon the discipline altogether. She claimed she was too nervous playing alone in the court during singles and it was more physically demanded.

Achievements International tournaments (25 titles, 16 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1947 All England Open Marie Ussing 6–11, 11–6, 10–12 Runner-up 1947 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm walkover Runner-up 1948 All England Open Tonny Ahm 11–7, 11–0 Winner 1948 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm 12–11, 5–11, 3–11 Runner-up 1949 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm 4–11, 3–11 Runner-up 1950 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm 8–11, 0–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1946 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Agnete Friis Marie Ussing 15–10, 15–7 Winner 1947 All England Open Tonny Ahm Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen Marie Ussing 15–8, 15–7 Winner 1947 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen Marie Ussing 7–15, 15–5, 4–15 Runner-up 1948 All England Open Tonny Ahm Queenie Allen Betty Uber 15–6, 12–15, 15–2 Winner 1948 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Queenie Allen Betty Uber 15–4, 15–11 Winner 1949 All England Open Tonny Ahm Queenie Allen Betty Uber 8–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1949 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Inge Birgit Hansen Aase Svendsen 15–8, 15–1 Winner 1950 All England Open Tonny Ahm Queenie Allen Betty Uber 16–17, 15–5, 15–8 Winner 1950 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Queenie Allen Elisabeth O'Beirne 15–2, 15–6 Winner 1951 All England Open Tonny Ahm Mavis Henderson Queenie Webber 17–15, 15–7 Winner 1951 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Inge Sørensen Aase Svendsen 16–17, 18–13, 15–4 Winner 1952 Denmark Open Tonny Ahm Agnete Friis Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen 15–7, 15–3 Winner 1956 Denmark Open Anni Jørgensen Tonny Ahm Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen 15–2, 15–6 Winner 1956 Swedish Open Anni Jørgensen Bodil Sterner Tora Pihl 15–0, 15–1 Winner 1957 All England Open Anni Hammergaard Hansen Iris Rogers June Timperley 7–15, 15–11, 15–10 Winner 1958 Swedish Open Anni Hammergaard Hansen Hanne Andersen Inger Kjærgaard 18–13, 15–2 Winner 1960 All England Open Inge Birgit Hansen Judy Devlin Susan Devlin 3–15, 6–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1946 Denmark Open Tage Madsen Poul Holm Marie Ussing 15–9, 15–7 Winner 1947 All England Open Tage Madsen Poul Holm Tonny Ahm 13–15, 15–13, 12–15 Runner-up 1947 Denmark Open Tage Madsen Poul Holm Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen 6–15, 15–4, 15–9 Winner 1948 All England Open Jørn Skaarup Conny Jepsen Aase Svendsen 15–10, 15–2 Winner 1948 Denmark Open Tage Madsen Jørn Skaarup Tonny Ahm 18–13, 8–15, 15–7 Winner 1949 Denmark Open Tage Madsen Chan Kon Leong Tonny Ahm 15–9, 12–15, 2–15 Runner-up 1950 Denmark Open Arve Lossmann Børge Frederiksen Tonny Ahm 15–9, 14–18, 4–15 Runner-up 1951 All England Open Arve Lossmann Poul Holm Tonny Ahm 15–8, 2–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1951 Denmark Open Arve Lossmann Ib Olesen Aase Svendsen 10–15, 17–15, 15–2 Winner 1955 All England Open Finn Kobberø David Choong June White 15–7, 15–13 Winner 1956 Swedish Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen 15–4, 11–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1957 All England Open Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen 15–3, 15–6 Winner 1958 Swedish Open Palle Granlund Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen 18–14, 14–17, 11–15 Runner-up 1959 All England Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen 17–14, 7–15, 3–15 Runner-up 1960 All England Open Finn Kobberø Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen 15–7, 15–2 Winner 1961 All England Open Finn Kobberø Tony Jordan June Timperley 15–12, 15–5 Winner 1963 German Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Ferry Sonneville Yvonne Theresia Sonneville 15–4, 17–14 Winner1964 German Open Knud Aage Nielsen Finn Kobberø Bente Flindt 9–15, 10–15 Runner-up