Yonex French Open: Day One Review – Tough Opening Day for Scotland’s Stars
20th October 2026 by Robert McLean
It proved to be a tough end to the opening day of the Yonex French Open in Tremblay-en-France for Scotland’s badminton stars, as Kirsty Gilmour became the latest Scot to exit the competition following an enthralling encounter with good friend and current Arctic Open champion Mia Blichfeldt.
Following Julie and Ciara’s defeat earlier in the day, all eyes turned to Gilmour as she faced the Danish star in what was one of the standout opening matches in the women’s singles draw.
Blichfeldt came flying out of the blocks, producing a scintillating performance in the opening game to take it convincingly, 21-9. However, Gilmour responded superbly in the second, with both players delivering some outstanding badminton in a fiercely contested battle.
The second game developed into an absolute classic, with neither player willing to give an inch. Gilmour fought hard to force her way back into the contest, but Blichfeldt ultimately held her nerve in the closing stages to edge the game 24-22 and seal a straight-games victory.
Despite the disappointing result for the Scottish contingent, the quality of the second game provided a thrilling spectacle and underlined the fine margins at the highest level of the sport.
Looking Ahead to Day Two
There is little time to dwell on the opening-day disappointments, with another big test awaiting Scotland’s remaining representatives tomorrow.
Alex Dunn and Julie MacPherson are set to take on familiar opponents in China’s sixth-seeded pairing of Guo and Chen. The Chinese duo lead the head-to-head record 3-1, but the Scots will take confidence from their victory over the same opponents at this year’s German Open.
Dunn and MacPherson will be hoping to reproduce that performance and cause another upset as they look to keep Scotland’s hopes alive at the French Open.
The match is scheduled to be the third match on Court 2, with fans able to follow the action live on the BWF YouTube channel.
Watch live: https://www.youtube.com/c/bwftv
After a challenging opening day in France, Scotland’s remaining stars will be determined to make their mark as the tournament continues.