2022 Irish Open: Round Up

By RJ Mitchell

MATTHEW GRIMLEY has admitted that he and twin brother Chris were beaten by the better pairing on the day after they were defeated by Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Chieh and Su Li Wei 21-14 in the deciding stanza in the quarterfinals of the Irish Open Men’s Doubles.

The Scottish No.2 pairing were seeded four and after consecutive victories over Danish partnerships hopes were high of a deep run in Dublin.

However, Matthew, the older of the Grimley twins by one hour and six minutes, admitted their consistency dropped off when it mattered most.

The 22-year-old said: “I feel like the Chinese Taipei team were just a really strong pair and very good at giving us flat shots and drives.

“In the first set we won that because we were that bit more consistent but as the match went on they got stronger and stronger and they started to beat us in the rallies and we struggled.

“Although we are ranked higher than them there are so many Chinese Taipei players and they have so much depth that they change up partnerships and that is why their ranking is low, it’s not a true reflection of their quality really.

“Overall we were happy to get through the first two rounds against the two Danish pairings as they are always tricky. We did expect a little bit more and did have chances but as I said the Chinese Taipei pairing were stronger on the day.”

In the other Men’s Doubles encounters Adam Pringle & Jack MacGregor despatched English duo Kumar and Stephen 21-12, 21-11 in the round of 32 before losing a Titanic three-game battle with the Danes Sondergaard and Toft 21-14 in the third.

Ciar Pringle & Michael McGuire claimed a fine win straight game win against Ukrainian opposition in their opening qualifier before bowing out to the French pairing of Maio and Villeger 21-12, 21-10.

In the Women’s Doubles there was disappointment for Sarah Sidebottom and Rachel Andrew when they went down in their opening match 21- 19, 21-11 to Danes Natasia P. Anthonisen and Clara Grayersen.

In the Mixed Doubles Ciar Pringle and England’s Lizzie Tolman impressively made it through qualifying only to be beaten by Scots Adam Pringle & Rachel Andrew in an epic three game encounter 21-18 in the third. Pringle and Andrew were then edged 22-20, 21-13 by Japanese No.5 seeds Nihei and Asakura.

In the last-32 Sarah Sidebottom & Jack MacGregor just came up short against England’s Brandon Zhi Hao Yap and Annie Lado 21-11 in the third.

Jodie Harris & Callum Crangle found the English pairing of Oliver Butler and Chloe Dennis too strong in going down in straight games in the opening round of qualifying.

In the Men’s singles Scottish No.1 Callum Smith made it through the three rounds of qualifying by beating England’s Ben Hammond, who had earlier accounted for fellow Scot Shaun Ally Aamir in straight games, before disappointingly being bested by Ireland’s Jonathan Dolan 21-16, 21-14.

15^th ranked Scot Danny Robson lost out in his opening qualifier to Japan’s Koshiro Moriguchi in straight games while Jake Thomas was also a straight games loser to Cypriot Christos Hailis.

Scotland No.2 James Robertson will have been disappointed to be edged 21-16 in the decider by Belgian Charles Fouyn in the round of 64.

In the Women’s Singles Scotland No.2 Rachel Sugden impressively came through qualifying with three game victories over England’s Miu Lin Ngan and Sara Boyle before losing to Denmark’s Frederikke Lund in straight games in the last-32.

There was disappointment for No.6 ranked Scot Toni Woods who also lost in the last-32, 21-7, 21-8 to France’s Qi Xufei.