Cumbrian badminton star Lauren Smith had mixed fortunes at the start of the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships in Denmark.
In the mixed doubles Smith and Marcus Ellis chalked up an impressive first round victory.
But the Longtown ace and Chloe Birch were beaten in the women’s doubles opener.
Smith and Ellis came from behind to defeat Australian duo Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo and Gronya Somerville.
TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2023
— BWFScore (@BWFScore) August 22, 2023
XD - R64
🏴Marcus ELLIS🏅
22 21 21 🏴Lauren SMITH🏅
🇦🇺Kenneth Zhe Hooi CHOO
24 15 14 🇦🇺Gronya SOMERVILLE
🕚 in 65 minutes
They went down 24-22 in the opening game but responded to take the next game 21-15, then won the decider 21-14.
They now progress to a last-32 encounter with French eighth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue on Wednesday.
The first round of the women’s doubles, though, saw Smith and Birch fall to Singapore duo Yu Jia Jin and Jia Ying Crystal Wong, who defeated the Cumbrian and her partner 21-10, 21-11.
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