A promising start turned into a dispiriting defeat for Scotland’s Kieran Merrilees in the first round of the men’s singles at the Yonex World Championships in Paris.

The Glasgow youngster looked on course for a place in the last 32 when he led by a game and 4-1 against Kestutis Navickas. But it was the Lithuanian who eventually snatched the place in the second round with a 15-21 21-13 21-14 win in a match lasting 47 minutes. 

Merrilees, who will make his Commonwealth Games debut in Delhi in October, had gone into the match hopeful of success. But he was downbeat by the time he came off court.

“It’s really disappointing,” admitted the 20-year-old. “I struggled to keep my concentration and I just couldn’t hit the shuttle to the back of the court. I didn’t play very well last season and I really need to start winning matches to get some confidence back.

“Getting into the Commonwealth Games team is a boost though. It’s great Scotland are in the team event and I really didn’t know until last week whether I would be selected.

“I’m really looking forward to it and, thankfully, I have a couple of tournaments in Belgium and the Czech Republic before Delhi and I hope I can get things going again.”

Merrilees’ frustrating defeat left the giant-killing women’s doubles pair of Edinburgh’s Emma Mason and Glasgow’s Imogen Bankier as the only Scots left in the Championships.

The Scottish Champions pulled off one their career best win in knocking out the No.13 seeds from Thailand, Savitree Amitapai and Vacharaporn Munkit, 21-17 15-21 21-15 in the last and the longest match on Monday.

After a day’s rest from the 65 minute encounter, they now have a real chance of making the last 16 as they face the unseeded Dutch couple of Lotte Jonathans and Paulien Van Dooremalen.

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Pictures courtesy of Sven Heise