The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Badminton finals held in Perth
The finals of the Yonex Scottish National Badminton Championships were held in Perth at the weekend.
The event, which attracts players from across Scotland, took place at the Bell’s Sports Centre.
It began on Friday and ran until Sunday.
Kirsty Gilmour completed a magnificent seven of women’s singles titles after enjoying yet another triumphant weekend at the Yonex Scottish National Championships at Perth’s Bell’s Sports Centre.
Not since 2012 has there been a winner other than the Scottish number one and she showed exactly why with a 21-12, 21-16 victory over Julie MacPherson.
“It feels really good to have a seventh national title, it’s not something I ever set out to do but it’s become a bit of a habit to come to Perth and see how the young players are shaping up,” said Gilmour.
“I always really enjoy Perth, it’s very serious but everyone is friends or family or very into the badminton and it’s a really nice feeling to be playing.
“To have a seventh title is never something I set out to do, but it’s a very nice feeling to have those under my belt – let’s try and go for number eight!”
Meanwhile the men’s singles went the way of the form book as top seed Kieran Merrilees maintained his domination in the Scottish National Championships.
The 28-year-old has now won six titles, only missing out in 2016 due to injury, with that year’s winner Matthew Carder on the opposite side of the net this time around.
It was a game befitting the top-two tussle too, Merrilees the man to eventually hold his own to secure a 21-12 21-11 victory – a win he is not underselling the significance of.
“The Nationals is always important to everyone and to win it again means a lot,” he said.
The men’s doubles was also a battle between the top seeds as Alex Dunn and Adam Hall defeated Martin Campbell and Patrick MacHugh in a threegame thriller, 21-15, 19-21, 21-17.
But the most dramatic game was saved until last as Dunn and Eleanor O’Donnell saved multiple match points in order to win a thriller against Campbell and MacPherson in the mixed doubles, triumphing 25-23 in the third game after being tied 1-1.
That wasn’t O’Donnell’s only win as she successfully defended the women’s doubles title she first won with MacPherson last year, defeating Holly Newall and Ciara Torrance.