Erland Kops (14 January 1937 – 18 February 2017) was a badminton player from Denmark who won numerous major international singles and doubles titles from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.
Early life Kops was born in 1937. His uncles were the boxers Ebbe and Poul Kops who both competed at the Summer Olympics. Erland Kops began to play badminton in Københavns Badminton Klub in 1948. He worked for East Asiatic Company in Thailand from 1958 to 1960.
Career In 1958, Erland Kops brought an end to eight years of dominance of by Malayan players at the All England Badminton Championships by winning its Men's Singles event. Kops was also among the first Westerners to win major singles titles in the Far East.Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd. 1971) 200, 303. He combined abundant speed, power, and stamina with impressive shot-making virtuosity. Despite some disappointing results in the late rounds of Thomas Cup (men's international team) competition, Kops was clearly the dominant tournament men's singles player and one of the dominant men's doubles players of his era.Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 123, 155,156.
He is one of the most successful players ever in the All England Open Badminton Championships, with 11 titles between 1958 and 1967 - 7 of them in men's singles and 4 in men's doubles - breaking the Irish player Frank Devlin´s record of six titles.Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd. 1971) 163-165.
Erland Kops also won 5 times the Danish Championships in men's singles and 4 in men's doubles. In the Nordic Championships, Erland Kops obtained the title 5 times in the men's singles category, 3 times in men's doubles and 2 more times in mixed doubles.
Kops played 44 national matches for Denmark from 1957 to 1972.
With no surprise, Erland Kops was among the first group of badminton players inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997, and was the first player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Badminton Europe Confederation (BEC) in 2013.
As a recognition for his sporting achievements, Erland Kops has been honoured with a knighthood from the Danish Queen, an Honorary Membership of The Danish Sports Federation, an Honorary Membership of Badminton Denmark, the Herbert Scheele Trophy from the Badminton World Federation, and being inducted to the Hall of Fame of Danish Sport, as well as being elected the second best Sportsman in Denmark of the 20th century.
All England performance
In 1957, Erland Kops lost the final to the Malayan player Eddie B. Choong, but one year later he defeated Finn Kobberø in the final. In 1959, Tan Joe Hok - from Indonesia - won the championship, then, Erland Kops won it from 1960 to 1963. Finally, Erland Kops won it again two more times in 1965 and 1967. In men's doubles, Erland Kops won the competition teaming up with Poul-Erik Nielsen in 1958 and together with Henning Borch from 1967 to 1969. Kops lost three finals in men's doubles - in 1961 and 1964 together with Poul-Erik Nielsen and against Jorgen Hammergaard / Finn Kobberø, and in 1965 with the Malaysian Oon Choong Jin and against Ng Boon Bee and Tan Yee Khan. 1958: Champion - vs Finn Kobberø (Denmark) 1960: Champion - vs Charoen Wattanasin (Thailand) 1961: Champion - vs Finn Kobberø (Denmark) 1962: Champion - vs Charoen Wattanasin (Thailand) 1963: Champion - vs Channarong Ratanasaengsuang (Thailand) 1965: Champion - vs Tan Aik Huang (Malaysia) 1967: Champion - vs Tan Aik Huang (Malaysia)
Achievements European Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1970 Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales Henning Borch Elo Hansen Per Walsøe 9–15, 15–2, 10–15 Silver 1972 Karlskrona Idrottshall, Karlskrona, Sweden Elo Hansen Willi Braun Roland Maywald 13–15, 8–15 Bronze
International tournaments
Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result1957All England Eddy Choong9–15, 3–15 Runner-up1958All England Finn Kobberø15–10, 8–15, 15–8 Winner1958Dutch Open Ferry Sonneville3–15, 8–15 Runner-up1960All England Charoen Wattanasin15–1, 11–15, 15–6 Winner1960Swiss Open Jimmy Lim15–5, 15–4 Winner1961Canada Open Robert McCoig15–2, 15–12 Winner1961All England Finn Kobberø15–10, 15–6 Winner1961French Open Ferry Sonneville15–12, 15–10 Winner1962Swedish Open Knud Aage Nielsen15–4, 15–9 Winner1962All England Charoen Wattanasin15–10, 15–5 Winner1962German Open Ferry Sonneville15–10, 14–15, 15–3 Winner1962Mexico International Tan Joe Hok15–8, 15–9 Winner1963U.S. Open Channarong Ratanaseangsuang7–15, 15–5, 15–4 Winner1963Canada Open Channarong Ratanaseangsuang15–12, 15–12 Winner1963All England Channarong Ratanaseangsuang15–7, 15–7 Winner1963Swedish Open Knud Aage Nielsen15–2, 13–15, 15–4 Winner1963German Open Henning Borch15–2, 15–3 Winner1964Swedish Open Poul-Erik Nielsen15–6, 17–14 Winner1964German Open Knud Aage Nielsen15–7, 15–13 Winner1965All England Tan Aik Huang15–13, 15–12 Winner1965U.S. Open Channarong Ratanaseangsuang15–11, 15–8 Winner1965Mexico International Channarong Ratanaseangsuang15–7, 15–12 Winner1965Swedish Open Svend Pri15–1, 15–5 Winner1966German Open Knud Aage Nielsen17–18, 15–6, 15–11 Winner1966London Championships Svend Pri0–15, 7–15 Runner-up1966Swedish Open Svend Pri7–15, 8–15 Runner-up1966French Open Ang Tjin Siang6–15, 15–6, 7–15 Runner-up1967All England Tan Aik Huang15–12, 15–10 Winner1967Singapore Open Tan Aik Huang11–15, 8–15 Runner-up1967U.S. Open Suresh Goel15–2, 15–12 Winner1967Dutch Open Tom Bacher15–8, 15–9 Winner1967Malaysia Open Darmadi15–10, 15–3 Winner1967Swedish Open Svend Pri6–15, 15–9, 7–15 Runner-up1967Norwegian International Sture Johnsson15–8, 15–6 Winner1967German Open Wolfgang Bochow17–14, 15–10 Winner1967Canada Open Wayne Macdonnell15–11, 15–11 Winner1968German Open Tan Aik Huang9–15, 18–17, 15–5 Winner1968Denmark Open Svend Pri7–15, 18–14, 17–16 Winner1968Swedish Open Svend Pri5–15, 7–15 Runner-up1969Dutch Open Oon Chong Hau12–15, 4–15 Runner-up1970Denmark Open Ippei Kojima3–15, 10–15 Runner-up1971Norwegian International Svend Pri10–15, 10–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1958 All England Poul-Erik Nielsen Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 15–7, 11–15, 15–8 Winner1958 Dutch Open Jørgen Hageman Oon Chong Jin Arne Rasmussen 15–11, 15–4 Winner1959 Malaysia Open Eddy Choong Teh Kew San Lim Say Hup 11–15, 9–15 Runner-up1960 Swiss Open Knud E. Jepsen Jimmy Lim Randy Oey 15–2, 15–11 Winner1961 Canada Open Robert McCoig Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 8–15, 10–15 Runner-up1961 French Open Finn Kobberø Oon Chong Teik Yeoh Kean Hua 15–6, 15–10 Winner1962 German Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 7–15, 13–15 Runner-up1962 Mexico International Tan Joe Hok Berndt Dahlberg Ferry Sonneville 15–7, 14–17, 15–4 Winner1963 U.S. Open Robert McCoig Joe Alston T. Wynn Rogers 18–16, 15–2 Winner1963 Canada Open Robert McCoig Sangob Rattanusorn Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 15–13, 11–15, 15–13 Winner1963 German Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Henning Borch Jørgen Mortensen 15–5, 15–3 Winner1964 German Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 15–3, 15–6 Winner1964 All England Poul-Erik Nielsen Finn Kobberø Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen 6–15, 3–15 Runner-up1965 All England Oon Chong Jin Tan Yee Khan Ng Boon Bee 7–15, 5–15 Runner-up1965 U.S. Open Knud Aage Nielsen Robert McCoig Tony Jordan 15–5, 12–15, 11–15 Runner-up1965 Mexico International Don Paup Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Paisan Loaharanu 15–9, 15–10 Winner1965 Swedish Open Knud Aage Nielsen Henning Borch Jørgen Mortensen 15–12, 18–16 Winner 1966 London Championships Svend Pri D.O. Fulton Roger Mills 9–15, 15–7, 15–12 Winner1967 Swedish Open Henning Borch Per Walsøe Svend Pri 2–15, 12–15 Runner-up1967 All England Henning Borch Per Walsøe Svend Pri 15–8, 15–12 Winner1967 U.S. Open Joe Alston Suresh Goel Jim Sydie 15–4, 15–4 Winner1967 Dutch Open Tom Bacher Alan Parsons William Kerr 15–4, 15–10 Winner1967 Norwegian International Elo Hansen Kurt Johnsson Sture Johnsson 15–8, 15–11 Winner 1967 German Open Per Walsøe Wolfgang Bochow Friedhelm Wulff 15–9, 9–15, 0–15 Runner-up 1967 Canada Open Rolf Paterson Colin Beacom Roger Mills 6–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1968 Swedish Open Henning Borch Poul-Erik Nielsen Per Walsøe 15–7, 15–11 Winner1968 All England Henning Borch Tan Yee Khan Ng Boon Bee 15–6, 15–4 Winner 1969 Swedish Open Svend Pri Tony Jordan Roger Mills 15–13, 8–15, 15–11 Winner1969 All England Henning Borch David Eddy Roger Powell 13–15, 15–10, 15–9 Winner1969 Dutch Open Bjarne Andersen Oon Chong Hau Ho Khim Kooi 15–12, 5–15, 15–5 Winner 1970 Denmark Open Henning Borch Per Walsøe Svend Pri 17–15, 10–15, 15–2 Winner1971 Swedish Open Henning Borch Per Walsøe Svend Pri 11–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1971 Dutch Open Svend Pri Derek Talbot Elliot Stuart 15–11, 15–5 Winner1972 Swedish Open Svend Pri Per Walsøe Poul Petersen 15–4, 9–15, 15–12 Winner 1972 Dutch Open Svend Pri Derek Talbot Elliot Stuart 15–6, 11–15, 15–7 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1957 German Open Agnete Friis Eddy Choong Barbara Carpenter 15–6, 15–10 Winner 1960 Swiss Open Annette Schmidt Per Nielsen Ute Seelbach 18–15, 15–6 Winner 1961 French Open Hanne Jensen Bengt Nielsen Bitten Nielsen 15–6, 15–10 Winner 1963 Canada Open Claire Lovett Robert McCoig Claude Lamere 15–7, 7–15, 15–9 Winner 1966 French Open Marianne Svensson Winner 1967 U.S. Open Mimi Nilsson Jim Sydie Judy Hashman 13–18, 6–15 Runner-up 1969 U.S. Open Pernille Mølgaard Hansen Don Paup Helen Tibbetts 15–6, 13–15, 15–7 Winner 1971 Norwegian International Lene Køppen Gert Perneklo Eva Twedberg 15–3, 5–15, 10–15 Runner-up
Summary
RankEventDateVenueDanish National Championships1Singles1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967CopenhagenMen's doubles1961, 1965, 1968, 1969Nordic Championships1Singles1964, 1965, 1966, 1966, 1967Various locationsMen's doubles1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971Mixed doubles1965, 1967European Championships2Men's doubles1970Port Talbot, WAL3Men's doubles1972Karlskrona, SWEOpen Championships1Singles1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1967All England OpenMen's doubles1958, 1967, 1968, 19692Singles1957All England OpenMen's doubles1961, 1964, 19651Singles1961 French OpenMen's doubles1961Mixed doubles1961, 19661Singles1961, 1963, 1967 Canadian OpenMen's doubles1963Mixed doubles19631Singles1968 Denmark OpenMen's doubles19701Singles1967, 1968 Dutch OpenMen's doubles1958, 1967, 1969, 1971, 19721Singles1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968 German OpenMen's doubles1963, 19641Singles1967 Malaysia Open 1Singles1962, 1965 Mexican OpenMen's doubles1962, 19651Singles1967 Norwegian InternationalMen's doubles 19671Singles1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 Swedish OpenMen's doubles1965, 1968, 1969, 19721Singles1960 Swiss OpenMen's doubles1960Mixed doubles19601Singles1963, 1965, 1967 U.S. OpenMen's doubles 1963, 1967Mixed doubles1969Other National Championships1Singles1959 All-India ChampionshipsMen's doubles1959Mixed doubles19591Singles1959 Thailand National Championships
References
External links Erland Kops at Badminton.dk