Invaluable experience and promising performances for Scotland’s young stars in Alicante.

9th June 2025 by Robert McLean

Scotland’s rising badminton talents did themselves proud at the Spanish U19 International in Alicante last week, gaining crucial experience and delivering impressive results against some of Europe’s top junior players.

There was early success in the singles competition, with Lewis Smith and Blair Tait both claiming straight-sets victories in their opening matches. Smith dispatched Poland’s Tomasz Koperdowski 21-11, 21-19, while Tait saw off Norway’s Henrik Frende Lavik-Haug 21-14, 21-19, showing confidence and composure throughout.

In the boys’ doubles, Alfie Sweeney and Lucas Chin put in a spirited performance against local favourites Quique Gil and Alejandro Yaycarov. Despite a valiant effort, the Spanish pair edged them out 21-16, 21-15 in two competitive sets.

One of the standout results came on day one in the doubles, where Smith and Tait combined to claim a thrilling three-set victory over a strong Malaysian pairing of Tan Nicholas and Hau Jay Lim. The Scottish duo showed grit and resilience to come through 21-14, 17-21, 21-15.

Day two brought tough challenges in the singles, with both Smith and Tait facing elite Spanish opposition. Smith went up against Mario Rodriguez, the world number 67, and while he fought hard, the Spaniard’s quality told in a 21-14, 21-10 win. Tait faced an even steeper test against 11th seed Yaidel Gil, currently ranked 17th in the world. Gil showed his class with a commanding 21-15, 21-9 victory.

Smith and Tait were back on court later to take on the highly-rated Czech duo Michael Havlíček and Adam Srnec, ranked 51 in the world. Despite a spirited performance and moments of excellent badminton, the Czech pair proved too strong, taking the match 21-14, 21-14.

Overall, it was a week of learning, growth, and encouragement for Scotland’s young shuttlers. Competing against some of the best junior talent in Europe, they showcased their potential and left Alicante with their heads held high. The future is undoubtedly bright for Scottish badminton.