Scottish players battle through busy Friday at the Polish International
21st September 2026 by Robert McLean
It was another busy day of action for the Scottish contingent at the Polish International, with our remaining players facing some tough opposition as the tournament moved deeper into the main draw.
The day began with Brooke Stalker and Ishbel McCallister taking to court in the women’s doubles against home pairing Anna Czuchra and Kinga Stokfisz. In front of their home crowd, the Polish duo proved to be determined opponents, with the match developing into an entertaining three-game battle.
Neither pair was able to establish sustained control as the match went on, with the momentum shifting back and forth between the two sides. Brooke and Ishbel showed plenty of fight to stay in contention, but it was ultimately Czuchra and Stokfisz who found the extra gear when it mattered most. The Polish pair took the deciding game 21-10 to bring the Scottish challenge to an end.
Despite the result, the performance was another valuable test for Brooke and Ishbel against international opposition, with the pair continuing to gain experience on the senior circuit. The final scoreline was 21-18, 18-21, 10-21.
There was better news on the same court for the Scottish men’s doubles pairing of Josh Taylor and Evan Kenny. The Scots produced a particularly strong performance against talented Slovakian pairing Richard Pavlik and Matus Polacek.
Josh and Evan made a fast start and maintained their composure throughout the opening game, taking it 21-11. They continued to apply pressure in the second, refusing to allow their opponents to find a way back into the contest, and eventually completed an impressive straight-games victory, 21-11, 21-13.
That result booked the Scottish pair a place in the last 16 and set up another challenging encounter, this time against sixth seeds Torjus Flaatten and Jonas Østhassel of Norway.
The Norwegian pairing brought their experience and seeding into the contest and proved too strong on the day. Josh and Evan battled hard, but the sixth seeds secured the victory in two games, 21-15, 21-12.
For Josh and Evan, however, reaching the last 16 represents another positive step at a tournament featuring a strong international field. Their performance earlier in the day, particularly the convincing win over the Slovakian pair, provided a highlight for the Scottish contingent.
Overall, Friday provided plenty of competitive action for the Scottish players, with Brooke, Ishbel, Josh and Evan all giving a good account of themselves against international opposition.
With the tournament bringing together players from across Europe and beyond, the level of competition was high throughout, making every victory hard-earned and every match a valuable experience.
Well done to all of the Scottish players who took part in this year’s Polish International.
From the opening rounds through to the later stages of the competition, they competed with determination and made an impact against a strong international field.
The Scottish contingent can take plenty of positives from their performances in Poland, with another valuable week of international competition under their belts.