From 9 to 12 September, Nieuwpoort will host the Yonex Belgian International for the first time. After many years in Leuven, the international tournament is moving to the Belgian coast this year.
Belgian players to watch
In the men’s singles, Julien Carraggi is once again one of the favourites. The Belgian won the tournament in 2024 and reached the final last year.
In the women’s singles, Clara Lassaux has secured a place in the main draw. She will face Vivien Sandorhazi in the opening round, having narrowly lost to her earlier this year. Following an intensive preparation, including a training camp in Thailand, Clara will be hoping to turn the tables this time.
Fae Boonen and Lieke Van Parys will also compete in the women’s doubles main draw.
The qualifying draws will also feature plenty of Belgian representation. Six Belgian men and six Belgian women will take to the courts, all facing strong international opposition on their way to the main draw.
It is great to see so many Belgian players getting the opportunity to compete at international level. A place in an international qualifying draw is never handed out for free. Hopefully, they will enjoy the experience, give it their all and perhaps produce a few Belgian surprises along the way.
Women’s singles: a draw to look forward to
Fans of women’s singles are in for an exciting tournament in Nieuwpoort. Kirsty Gilmour, the current European champion, will be among the competitors. The Scottish player has been a fixture at the top of European badminton for many years.
Kaloyana Nalbantova will also return as defending champion. Since winning the title last year, she has made a significant rise in the world rankings.
Other names to keep an eye on include Yvonne Li and Anna Tatranova. With such a strong field, the women’s singles promises to be highly competitive.
New partnerships and exciting match-ups
In the women’s doubles, Macpherson/Torrance will be back in action, while several new partnerships could also make an impact.
Amalie Cecilie Kudsk will form a new partnership with Simona Pilgaard. Meanwhile, Chloe Coney will make her comeback following the birth of her daughter, partnering with Tilda Sjoo.
In the men’s doubles, we could see a special brothers’ battle between the Scottish twins Grimley and the Král brothers. Last year’s champions, Kolding/Lundsgaard, will also return to defend their title.
In the mixed doubles, combinations such as Dunn/Macpherson, Buijk/Loos, Begga/Jacob and Kolding/Werge are among the pairs to watch.
Four days of world-class badminton by the sea
The Yonex Belgian International has all the ingredients for an exciting international tournament: international stars, Belgian contenders, new partnerships and plenty of potential surprises.
And perhaps that is exactly what makes this tournament so exciting: you never quite know in advance who will rise to the occasion.
With a strong international field and plenty of Belgian players in action, there will be more than enough to support in Nieuwpoort over four days of top-level badminton.
Four days of badminton, international stars and Belgian fighting spirit by the sea.
–Arno Torbeyns