Three years ago, the young English pair, fresh from winning U19 European Junior bronze, landed the Spanish International title; the third of their fledging senior career at International Challenger level.

Roll forward to 2019 and, after a title barren 36 months for English badminton in the Spanish capital,  the now English national champions repeated the trick, this time as top seeds, to secure their sixth title together on the European circuit.

Saturday’s 21-13, 24-26, 21-18 win in the mixed doubles final over Denmark’s Mathias Bay-Smidt and Rikke Soby Hansen was excellent demonstration of their good form that has seen them run up the world rankings to 28.^.

After a Friday night semi final beating of the dangerous Russian third seeds, Saturday’s final – a career first meeting with Denmark’s reigning Swiss Open champions – was a tense affair with game points traded in a nervy second game in which the English held, but missed out on converting, three Championship points.

The deciding third end was just as nervy but with Pugh impressing at the net, the English pair maintained good momentum and a noticeable change in pace to secure their second title of 2019 after winning in Poland seven weeks ago.

It was a win that netted England a 15^th Spanish International title in the 45 year history of the International Challenger event,

England had opportunity to add to that record earlier on Finals Day but Toby Penty lost out in straight sets to 18 year old Thai sensation and reigning world junior champion in the men’s singles final.

Like Lane and Pugh, Penty has enjoyed an impressive week in Spain marking strong form with big wins over French number one Brice Leverdez and Germany’s Kai Schaefer, who defeated Rajiv Ouseph in February’s European Mixed Team Championships.

For Penty, it was a first finals day defeat in six on the European circuit and he will be buoyed going into the European Games as Team GB’s leading singles man later this month.

Courtesy of Badminton England

The reigning national champions, both aged 21 and now ranked inside the world top 30, were top seeded for the trip to Poland and justified top billing with a string of fine performances to win the title.

Sunday’s final saw them defeat France’s third seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 21-17 21-15 in 39 minutes;  the win even more impressive in that the French duo arrived in Poland on the back of winning the Super 100 Orleans Masters title last week.

Lane and Pugh had already beaten Orleans Masters silver medallists Ronan Labar and Anne Tran at the semi final stage.

The title win is Lane and Pugh’s fifth together since stepping up onto the internationals senior circuit – and their first in 2019.

The win is England’s first in Mixed Doubles at the Polish Open since Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork’s title success in 2012 and just England’s ninth in the 40 year history of the tournament.Lane later returned to court to contend the Men’s Doubles final alongside Sean Vendy but missed out 19-21 16-21 to Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei.

Courtesy of Badminton England