Matt and Chris Grimley have won the Yonex Dutch Open title in ’s-Hertogenbosch, completing the tournament without dropping a game.
The Scottish twins beat Denmark’s Kristoffer Kolding and Calvin Lundsgaard 21-13, 21-10 in the final, according to Badminton Scotland. The victory followed their gold-medal success at the Yonex Belgian International last month and gave the pair a second successive international title.
Badminton Scotland reported that the Grimleys were in control from the outset of the final. Their straight-games win over Kolding and Lundsgaard was their fourth in as many matches during the event, and none of their opponents took a game from them.
The result provides tangible evidence of a productive spell for the Scottish pair. Winning two international events in consecutive months is a strong recent return, while the manner of the Dutch Open campaign meant they consistently avoided the pressure of a deciding game. Badminton Scotland said the win added another title to the pair’s growing collection.
A four-match route without a dropped game
The Grimleys began their Dutch Open campaign on Friday against Ireland’s Guildea and Reynolds in the round of 16. They won 21-7, 21-13, establishing a place in the quarter-finals with their most one-sided scoreline of the week.
The quarter-final presented a closer examination against the Danish partnership of Nebel and Søby. Badminton Scotland described the opponents as in form, but Matt and Chris Grimley prevailed 21-19, 21-17. The 21-19 opening game was one of the closest any opposition came to taking a game from the Scots across the tournament.
Later on Saturday, the twins met English fourth seeds Oliver Butler and Samuel Jones for the first time on tour. The Scottish pair won 21-13, 21-19 to reach the final. That result made the title match possible.
On Sunday, Kolding and Lundsgaard supplied a second Danish challenge. Lundsgaard was listed by Badminton Scotland as world No. 122, but the final did not develop into the close contest seen in the quarter-final. The Grimleys took the opening game by eight points and were even more decisive in the second, winning by 11.
Across the four matches, the pair recorded scorelines of 21-7, 21-13; 21-19, 21-17; 21-13, 21-19; and 21-13, 21-10. Those results show that their title run combined an emphatic opening and final with the ability to negotiate tighter moments against Nebel and Søby, then Butler and Jones. Badminton Scotland reported that the quarter-final and semi-final were both played on Saturday.
Belgian success followed by another title
Badminton Scotland said the Dutch Open title added to the Grimleys’ Belgian International triumph last month. Badminton Scotland characterised the two wins as evidence of growing confidence and consistency, while also saying they would give the pair momentum for a forthcoming period of HSBC BWF World Tour events.
That assessment remains the view of Badminton Scotland, which described the two successes as back-to-back gold medals. The Dutch Open also differed from a simple final-day recovery: they were required to win four matches, including encounters against Danish, Irish and English opponents, and did so in straight games each time.
The event brought another Scottish development, with Angus Meldrum returning to tour-level competition after injury. Badminton Scotland said it was his first tour-level appearance since being injured.
For Matt and Chris Grimley, the Dutch Open victory leaves a clear recent record: a Belgian International title last month, followed by a title in ’s-Hertogenbosch secured without conceding a game. Future World Tour events could provide a further test of whether that tournament form can be carried into a busier schedule.