This week the Dutch Open should have taken place. Due to the Covid-19 situation the tournament has been cancelled, and instead of covering the tournament live, Badminton Europe looks back at previous editions of the tournament. Today we will be taking a look at the 2015 edition featuring the winner Kirsty Gilmour.
It is the year 2015, Kirsty Gilmour is aiming to build on her sensational previous season, where she took the Commonwealth Games silver and scored two title victories over top opponents in Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt and Carolina Marin. However, at BWF Grand Prix level, her two final losses to the Olympic Champion Marin would be in the back of her mind. Join Badminton Europe as we travel back in time with Kirsty Gilmour to the Dutch Open five years ago and remember what happened.
The Scottish singles star was seeded number five coming to Almere, Netherlands, and had a tough opening match when facing Germany’s Fabienne Deprez. Following a dominant 21-9 first game, Deprez dug in and forced a decider. This triggered something for Gilmour, who stepped up and all but mirrored game one to take the win.
In the second round, Belgium’s Lianne Tan was a more consistent opponent for Gilmour, but she was able to finish on top after two close games. Gilmour was not too happy with her performance at this point when she says.
-I remember playing okay but not great against Fabienne and Lianne. Sorry Dutch Open organisers but I don't particularly like that hall. But then I found my feeling in the hall and played well from thereon.
What was the reason? Answer: Eating peanut M&M’S!
-Honestly, the thing I remember most from this tournament is that I convinced myself that I had to eat peanut M&M’S every day in order to keep winning!
Fired up
Number four seed from the USA, Iris Wang, was Gilmour’s opponent in the quarterfinal. It was clear that she found her rhythm in the hall at this point, as she states.
-I remember being pretty fired up against Iris which took a lot of energy from me.
Facing Chinese Taipei player, Hsu Ya-ching, in the semifinal, after a symmetrical 21-17 game to each of them, it seemed that perhaps Gilmour was emptying the tank. How wrong we were, as Gilmour explains.
- I managed to find a second wind in the third set. My game plan was simply to have abundant confidence in my fitness and just outlast her. It worked but it is a tough way to play.
Gilmour’s trust in her engine worked for her. However, the final against Germany’s Karin Schnaase, the number three seed, was a little different.
-For the final against my dear friend Karin, I miss her on the circuit so much, I knew she had an injury in her quad or her hamstring going in but that she always puts up a fight. We were both fatigued by this point in the tournament, but I remember it being a really good match.
The final ended 21-16, 21-13 for Kirsty Gilmour. Delighted by this win, she still holds this memory close to her.
-This tournament was a big win for me, my first Grand Prix and to put good performances in back to back and gain an international title at that level was pretty special.
Winners of the Dutch Open 2015:
MS - Ajay Jayaram (IND)
WS – Kirsty Gilmour (SCO)
MD – Koo Kean Kiet/ Tan Boon Heong (MAS)
WD – Gabriela Stoeva/ Stefani Stoeva (BUL)
XD – Ronan Labar/ Emilie Lefel (FRA)
For the full results, click here.