Injury Withdrawals and Tight Margins for Scots in Basel
12th March 2026 by Robert McLean
It proved to be a challenging week for Scotland’s leading shuttlers at the Yonex Swiss Open in Basel, with injuries disrupting campaigns despite several spirited performances. With the European swing approaching its conclusion, there were still encouraging signs for the squad as they continue to compete on the international stage.
In the women’s doubles, Ciara Torrance was unfortunately forced to withdraw through injury before she and partner Julie MacPherson could begin their opening match. The team wishes Ciara a speedy recovery and hopes to see her back on court soon.
Attention then turned to the men’s doubles. Adam Pringle and Alex Dunn were promoted from qualifying and faced a tough opening-round challenge against sixth seeds Fang-Chih Lee and Fang-Yen Lee of Chinese Taipei. Despite showing positive spells in both games, the Scottish pair were unable to overcome their higher-ranked opponents, eventually falling 21–12, 21–18.
Next up were twins Matt Grimley and Chris Grimley, who met familiar Danish rivals Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard, the tournament’s seventh seeds. The Danes entered the contest with a 3–0 head-to-head advantage, but the Scots produced one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament so far. Pushing their opponents to the limit, the Grimley brothers forced a deciding game and came agonisingly close to victory before narrowly losing 26–24 in the final set.
Further misfortune struck in the mixed doubles, where Alex Dunn experienced tightness in his calf and had to withdraw from the competition. As a result, Dunn and Julie MacPherson conceded a walkover to Denmark’s Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch. The team wishes Alex a quick recovery ahead of next week’s Orléans Masters.
The squad also benefited from the experience of former Olympic bronze medallist Marcus Ellis, who joined the team for his first coaching assignment and provided valuable insight throughout the week.
With Basel now behind them, attention quickly shifts to France for the next stop on the European circuit. Despite the setbacks, Scotland’s players showed resilience and promise, and the team will be eager to build on these performances as they continue to make strides on the world stage.