1 October, 2023
Sam Jones and Sian Kelly stormed to a convincing win in the mixed doubles final of the VICTOR Croatian International 2023.
In their first victory as a partnership, they beat Czech duo Vít Kulíšek and Kateřina Zuzáková 21-9 21-13 to secure the title in Zagreb.
The mixed doubles pair were the only English hopes in the finals after Lisa Curtin got as far as the last 16 and Nadeem Dalvi fell in the first round.
Jones and Kelly lost out at the quarter-final stage of the Polish International Series but returned to win all their matches in two games at the Croation International 2023.
They beat Mathias Ji Hong and Aimee Hong 21-18 21-12 to kick things off in the second round following a first-round bye, before getting past Wiktor Trecki and Paulina Hankiewicz 21-16 21-11 in the quarter-finals.
The semi-final was then safely navigated by the pair who cruised past Jan Janoštík and Tallulah Sharleen Van Coppenolle 21-10 21-12.
And the partnership would end up making no mistake in both final games, claiming a mixed doubles victory over Kulíšek and Zuzáková in 24 minutes.
Jones and Kelly won 10 consecutive points in the finals clash, leading them to the top of the podium for the first time as a partnership.
Elsewhere Curtin beat Margaux Lasis 21-10 21-18 in the first round, before being denied a place in the quarter-finals by Kate Ludik in a close 21-17 21-18 match.
Nadeem Dalvi met eighth seed Aria Dinata in the first round but missed out on second-round progression with a 21-18 21-15 loss.
All attention turns to the BWF World Junior Championships in Spokane, USA after England finished 14th in the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships.
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