Woes in Wales for Findlay

Dec 6 2012 by Andy Newport, Paisley Daily Express

There was double disappointment for Erskine teenager Rebekka Findlay at the Yonex Welsh Open.

Findlay, 18, had hoped to boost her European ranking of 206 in the singles after travelling south to Cardiff.

However, she fell at the first qualifying stage, losing 21-17, 21-8 to England’s Natalie Chan-Lam.

And there was more pain in store for the Renfrewshire youngster as she also crashed out of the mixed doubles, along with partner Matthew Carder.

The pair had successfully negotiated their opening qualifying match as they beat the English duo Andrew Penn and Josie Latimer 21-17, 21-15.

But their participation in the contest was over when they slumped to a disappointing 21-14, 21-9 defeat to Tien Chen Chou and Mei Hui Chiang, of Chinese Taipei, in a match that lasted just 18 minutes.

However, Findlay – who is technically a junior – can still look back on a successful year, having retained her Scottish National Junior Championship title in October.

There was some Scottish success in Cardiff as Paul Van Rietvelde teamed up with England’s Marcus Ellis to lift the men’s doubles title.

The second seeds came from behind to beat English pair Peter Briggs and Harley Towler 16-21, 21-9, 21-16 in the final.

Kirsty Gilmour, who is Scotland’s number one woman player, made an early exit in the singles as she was outgunned by Taipei’s Hui Chiang, who went on to lift the title.

However, Gilmour, 19, reached the final of the women’s doubles, along with partner Jillie Cooper.

Third seeds Gilmour and Cooper had to settle for runners-up spot as they were beaten 21-7, 21-14 by English pair Gabby White and Lauren Smith.