Imogen Bankier set a new record mark yesterday when she claimed the mixed doubles title at the Scottish National Championships for the ninth time.
Having enjoyed six previous successes with Watson Briggs and one with Paul van Rietvelde, the 2011 World Championship silver medallist passed the previous best set by Elinor Middlemiss in claiming her ninth consecutive success with her third partner as she and Robert Blair beat teenagers Adam Hall and Julie MacPherson 21-10, 21-13 to defend the title they won last year.
On a special day for her family the daughter of the Celtic chairman also won the women's doubles title with Kirsty Gilmour, taking her total national title haul to 15 and Bankier admitted she was probably more nervous about what he was going through than the other way around.
"It's been quite a tense day I would imagine for everyone involved with Rangers-Celtic and the media didn't really help by creating this big storm around it," she observed.
"Celtic were supposed to win and thankfully of course they did and you just hope there's no trouble, that's the main thing, but I think he was fully focused on that knowing at this end I would get the business done which I did thankfully, so a good day all round for the family."
For Gilmour their 21-6, 21-14 defeat of Rebekka Findlay and Caitlin Pringle was a third successive women's doubles title having also won it in 2012 with Jillie Cooper and the 21-year-old from Bothwell also claimed her fourth successive singles title, beating Holly Newall 21-7, 21-3 after the 16-year-old reached the final for the second successive year.
Kieran Merrilees lived up to his billing as top seed, too, surviving a second set scare in the final to beat Matthew Carder 21-16, 10-21, 21-11 and match Gilmour by winning a fourth singles title, but there was an upset in the doubles where Martin Campbell sank to his knees in joy after he and Patrick MacHugh beat top seeds Blair and Gordon Thomson 21-18, 21-18.
"Ever since I first came here as a little boy in the national squads watching the older senior players and being inspired by them it's always been one of my big goals to win the nationals," said 24-year-old Campbell.
"It was my fifth final and my first win.The first time was when I was 18, so it's been a long time coming."
He and MacHugh were particularly proud of beating Blair such is their respect for the veteran.
"For us Bob's been the guy to look up to in training. We've been inspired by him doing so well on the world circuit and then he came back up to Scotland to push us on to the next level," said Campbell.
"I've played him numerous times, so it's nice to finally get over that hurdle to beat Bob."
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