Carolina Marin (20) won her first Grand Prix title at the London Grand Prix on Sunday as she beat Kirsty Gilmour (20) of Scotland in a match between two of Europe's most promising women's singles players.

It was Gilmour, who began strongly against Marin and led 15-8 in the battle of the 20-year-olds. But Marin reeled her in to draw level at 18-18 before taking the opening game. In the second game the third seed started strongly to open up an 11-5 lead and never looked back.

Gilmour admitted: “This is my first major final. Maybe I wasn’t ready to win it but getting to this point is a big positive for me. It’s a great experience, “It was tricky. We’ve never played against each other before now so there was a little bit of figuring each other out at the start. I got ahead but she clawed it back but it was a really good game and I really enjoyed it.

“I just need to get a bit more solid in the longer rallies. I’m fit physically so it’s just about getting pushed that little bit extra.”

Marin said: "It’s unbelievable. I’m really really happy with my tournament because I don’t feel 100 per cent because it was only two weeks ago that I started to practise again as I have a slight injury in my knee. But I tried to do my best, and I did.

"I had some hard matches at this tournament but I tried to prepare and be ready for all of them. I was a little angry, because I didn’t do my plan, so I just tried to keep my mind and think about what I had to do, and I did.”

Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels beat home favourites

Langridge and Olver, the English National champions and third seeds, lost to German second seeds Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels 21-19 21-14. England’s world No. 25s turned an 11-8 deficit into an 18-15 advantage in the opening game only for the German pair to steal it with three points in a row from 19-18 down. And they took control of the second game from 5-5 to claim victory.

Langridge said: “It just didn’t happen today. Credit to the Germans, they played well. If we don’t play well enough and they play well, it’s going to be comfy for them. It really is gutting.”

Denmark successful with two titles

Denmark were guaranteed the first title of the Grand Prix when they provided all four players for the opening women’s doubles. World No. 3 pair Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl dropped the opening game to team-mates Line Kruse and Marie Røpke before hitting back to take the second and third games 21-17 21-15.

And the Danes added the men’s doubles crown when 2011 All England champions and world and Olympic silver medalists Carsten Mogensen and Mathias Boe defeated Indonesia’s Berry Angriawan and Ricky Karanda Suwardi 21-13 21-16.

But their hopes of a third title was dashed when Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, who knocked out 19-year-old team-mate Viktor Axelsen yesterday, lost to Australian Open winner Tian Houwei 22-20 21-16. Just as he did in Australia, the Chinese 21-year-old knocked out four seeds on the way to the title, including England’s Commonwealth silver medallist Rajiv Ouseph in the semi-finals last night.



The London Grand Prix will be back next year from September 30-October 5.

Final results:

Men’s singles:
Tian Houwei (Chn) bt (2) Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Den) 22-20 21-16 (54mins)

Women’s singles:
(3) Carolina Marin (Spa) bt (5) Kirsty Gilmour (Sco) 21-19 21-9

Men’s doubles:
(1) Mathias Boe & Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Berry Angriawan & Ricky Karanda Suwardi (Ina) 21-13 21-16

Women’s doubles:
(1) Christinna Pedersen & Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) bt Line Damkjaer Kruse & Marie Roepke (Den) 12-21 21-17 21-15 (57mins)

Mixed doubles:
(2) Michael Fuchs & Birgit Michels (Ger) bt (3) Chris Langridge & Heather Olver (Eng) 21-19 21-14

To view all the results go to www.tournamentsoftware.com
For all the news and pictures from today’s finals go to www.londongrandprixgold.co.uk