Hylo Open 2022: Round Up
Article by RJ Mitchell
There was a strong Scottish entry across the three doubles disciplines of last week’s HSBC BWF World Tour Super 300 in Saarbrucken, Germany.
The Women’s Doubles saw Ciara Torrance and Julie MacPherson record a fine straight games first round victory over the Polish pairing of Dominika Kwasnik and Kornelia Marczak 21-14, 21-12.
The reward for this impressive performance was a second round meeting with Thai top seeds Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai.
Despite putting up stiff resistance in the second game the Scots ultimately went down fighting 21-5, 21-12 to the pairing which was eventually to finish runner-up.
In the Men’s Doubles, Alex Dunn and Adam Hall found themselves drawn against No.2 seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the first round of the 64 – draw event at the Saarlandhalle.
The Danes ultimately proving too strong in posting a 21-8, 21-12 victory which would pave their way to a semi-final slot.
Matt and Chris Grimley lost out in two tight games to No.6 seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang 21-17, 21-17 who subsequently reached the quarter-finals.
In the Mixed Doubles Scotland had three pairings representing the Saltire with Alex Dunn and Ciara Torrance opening with an epic victory against the Dutch pairing of Ties Van Der Lecq and Debora Jille with the Scots taking the decisive third game 21-14 after a titanic struggle.
However Scottish hopes of a deep run were dashed in the second round when Dunn and Torrance were bested 21-15, 21-13 by the Japanese Hiroki Midorikawa and Naitso Saito.
Adam Hall & Julie MacPherson were edged 21-19, 21-17 by the Taiwanese pairing of Lee Jhe-Huei and Hsu Ya Ching.
Gilmour’s participation at the Hylo Open in Saarbrucken last week ended prematurely when a hip flexor injury forced her to retire in her second-round match with India’s Malvika Bansod at the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 300 tournament.
While Scottish involvement in Germany was ended when Chris Grimley & Eleanor O’Donnell lost out to the English partnership of Gregory Mairs and Jenny Moore 21-15, 21-16.