Tough Start to 2026 for Scotland’s Best in Kuala Lumpur

8th January 2026 by Robert McLean

Scotland’s top badminton players faced a challenging opening test of 2026 at the Petronas Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur, one of the most prestigious stops on the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 1000 circuit.

The tournament got underway on Tuesday with Alex Dunn and Julie MacPherson delivering a spirited performance in mixed doubles against China’s world number six pairing, Xin Wa Guo and Fang Hui Chen. Despite moments of strong resistance, the Scottish duo were ultimately overpowered, bowing out 21–16, 21–10.

MacPherson returned to court later in the week alongside Ciara Torrance in the women’s doubles, where they were handed another formidable draw. Facing South Korea’s world number three pair, Hye Jeong Kim and Hee Yong Kong, the Scots showed real grit, particularly in a highly competitive second game, but eventually fell 21–12, 22–20.

The final Scottish interest came from Kirsty Gilmour in the women’s singles. Drawn against China’s world number two, Zhi Yi Wang, Gilmour produced a solid opening game, keeping the score tight at 21–17. However, Wang’s class and consistency proved decisive in the second set, which she took 21–9 to close out the match.

Despite the early exits, there is little time to dwell on the results. The squad now turns its attention to the India Open in New Delhi, which begins on January 13. With another tough week of competition ahead against the world’s elite, coach Robert Blair will be keen for the players to regroup quickly and carry valuable lessons forward into the next World Tour event.