Scottish No.1 Alan Clyne believes Comeback Kid Greg Lobban could have a big part to play when Scotland's men begin their bid for another medal at the European Team Championship in Helsinki on Wednesday.
The Scots claimed bronze in Warsaw last May – their first medal since 1999 – after finally beating Germany in a third place play-off following defeats to the same team at the previous four championships.
Lobban clinched victory for Scotland in a tense battle with Raphael Kandra, but although he and Clyne went on to lift the world doubles title in Australia in August, fate then dealt him an agonising blow. While contesting the Chicago Open final last October, Lobban tore his hamstring so badly that he was on crutches for months and has yet to return to competitive action.
The Inverness player was still included in Scotland's six-man squad for Helsinki, and Clyne noted: "It's a real bonus to have him back, helping out the team. He's not been able to play any tournaments, but he's been really diligent in his recovery and he's been working hard in training. Of course there's a big difference between training and matchplay, but I've seen him in training and he looks good to me. You can't expect him to play in every game, but it's not the end of the world if he doesn't because we've got a strong squad all the way down and I have full confidence in them."
Seeded three, the Scots will look to progress from Pool B, which also includes second seeds France, hosts Finland and the Czech Republic.
"The first match is a big one against Finland (on Wednesday)," warned Clyne. "They have a big home support, and it could be close.
"The Germans are in a tough group with defending champions England, so we don't know how they'll get on. We're just concentrating on our own group and making sure we get through to Friday's semi-finals. I feel confident we can match what we've done before."
Scotland's women are in Division Two in Helsinki after winning Division Three last year. Former world number 38 Lisa Aitken and 16-year-old Scottish champion Georgia Adderley lead a strong team in today's double-header with Switzerland and Ireland.
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