Kirsty Gilmour Triumphs in Three-Game Battle to Lift Scottish Open Title
Kirsty Gilmour once again rose to the occasion on home soil, claiming the Scottish Open women’s singles title after a thrilling three-game final against Korea’s Kim Joo Eun. Entering the match as the top seed and favourite, Gilmour faced an opponent she had never played before, but she wasted no time stamping her authority on the contest.
Gilmour dominated the opening game, controlling the rallies with precision and purpose to take it 21–11. Despite the convincing start, she explained afterwards that patience and control played a major part in her approach, saying:
“I had to be disciplined so I didn’t go for too much too soon.”
That discipline was tested in the second game. A few wayward errors gave Kim an opening, and the Korean capitalised well to level the match 21–17, forcing a deciding game and shifting the momentum.
In the third, Gilmour returned to her tactical blueprint. Staying calm and measured, she used her awareness and movement to keep Kim constantly off balance. Clever changes of pace and pinpoint accuracy on the closing shots helped her regain full control of the match. With the crowd behind her, she sealed the final 21–15, securing yet another Scottish Open triumph through maturity, patience, and high-quality shot-making.
Danish Duo Secure Men’s Doubles Crown
Earlier in the day, Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard captured the men’s doubles title, defeating Korea’s Lee Jong Min and Wang Chan in a gripping three-game encounter.
The Danes set the tone early, using excellent variation in attack to unsettle the Korean pair and edge a tight first game 23–21. Lee and Wang responded strongly in the second, lifting their tempo to take it 21–14 and push the match to a decider.
In the third, Lundgaard and Vestergaard drew on their experience and composure. Returning to the tactical blend of pace, rotation and smart placement that had brought them early success, they regained control and held firm to secure their first title since 2023, a resilient and well-earned victory for the Danish pair.
All-Danish Mixed Doubles Final Goes to Espersen & Kudsk
The mixed doubles final produced another high-quality contest, this time an all-Danish showdown between Rasmus Espersen & Amalie Cecilie Kudsk and Mads Vestergaard & Christine Busch.
Featuring long, tactical rallies and sharp net exchanges, the match was tightly contested throughout. However, it was the number 3 seeds, Espersen and Kudsk, who found the crucial points when it mattered. Their consistency and control in the key moments allowed them to close out the match in straight games, securing a well-earned title against strong opposition.
Arnaud Merklé Makes It Two Titles in Two Weeks With Men’s Singles Win
In the men’s singles final, France’s Arnaud Merklé continued his outstanding run of form by defeating Finland’s Joakim Oldorff in straight games. Merklé entered the match as the strong favourite following his title win in Ireland last week, and he backed that status with another composed performance.
Oldorff produced some impressive shot-making, especially midway through the second game, threatening to push the contest into a decider. But Merklé held firm under pressure, showing great composure in the closing stages to shut the door and complete the victory, securing back-to-back titles in just two weeks.
McPherson & Torrance Battle Through Three-Set Thriller in Women’s Doubles Final
Scottish duo Julie McPherson and Ciara Torrance produced one of the matches of the day, pushing Korea’s Kim Min Ji and Ye Na Lee all the way in a gripping three-set women’s doubles final.
In a contest filled with razor-sharp exchanges, fast defensive blocks, and brave attacking play, the match ultimately came down to the finest of margins. The Korean pair edged the crucial points, but McPherson and Torrance demonstrated determination, quality, and superb teamwork throughout the encounter.
Despite the narrow defeat, the Scottish pair can be incredibly proud of their performances across the week showing consistency, resilience, and world-class badminton to reach the final and push one of Asia’s strongest pairs to the limit.