Merrilees into the semi-final of the Yonex Scottish National Championships
Defending men’s singles champion Kieran Merrilees is through to another semi-final at the Yonex Scottish National Championships.
The seven-time champion was ruthless in his progress, sailing into the last four by winning his three matches without dropping a set including a comprehensive 21-6 21-17 defeat of three-time champion Craig Goddard in the quarter-finals.
Merrilees faces joint 3/4 seed Danny Robson in tomorrow’s semi-final after Robson came from behind to beat 5/8 seed Lloyd Holland 13-21 21-16 21-10 in their quarter-final clash.
Second seed Joshua Apiliga will face James Robertson in the bottom half of the draw.
In the women’s singles Toni Woods caused arguably the upset of the day when she beat second seed Rachel Sugden, who had warmed up for the Nationals by winning the Iceland International last weekend.
That win put Woods into the semi-finals against Rachel Cameron while in the other half of the draw top seed Holly Newall will face Lauren Middleton.
And Woods scored another win over Sugden when she and women’s doubles partner Basia Grodynska won a titanic 10-21 21-19 21-17 battle over Sugden and Middleton for the right to face top seeds Julie MacPherson and Ciara Torrance in the semi-finals of the women’s doubles.
Newall – one half of last year’s winning women’s doubles pairing – and new partner Rachel Andrew will challenge second seeds Eleanor O’Donnell and Sarah Sidebottom in the second semi-final.
Scottish Open champions Alex Dunn and Adam Hall remain on course to win their third national men’s doubles title together and will play Jack MacGregor and Adam Pringle on Sunday morning while in the bottom half of the draw Christopher and Matthew Grimley will take on Apiliga and Calvin Chan.
The mixed doubles was played on Friday evening up to and including the semi-finals.
Top seeds Hall and MacPherson reached the final courtesy of a 21-12 21-16 win over Christopher Grimley and O’Donnell while second seeds Dunn and Torrance beat MacGregor and Newall 21-12 21-12 to reach Sunday’s showpiece.
The remaining semi-finals get underway on Sunday at 10.00hrs with the finals commencing at 14.00hrs.
Tickets are on sale at badmintonscotland.org.uk or on the door at Bell’s Sports Centre.
Results and draws are online at www.tournamentsoftware.com