News of the inaugural Women’s Scottish Open

The Edinburgh Academy, Edinburgh
Sunday, 5th October 2025

Organiser Louise Mathias reports: The inaugural Women’s Scottish Open has started the Women’s Fives calendar year off with a bang! With 16 players from Scotland and Durham, it was an action-packed day of both Singles and Doubles competitions, all with brand new shiny silverware to be won.

The Singles started with some great first round matches. Charlotte Smith managed to hold off Evelyn Terry in two tight sets, winning 11-8, 11-8 to make the quarter-finals. Grace Playfair also had a strong start against Faye Smart, taking the win to put her through to play Eleonora Vallascas in the quarters, where despite some strong hitting, she lost 11-1, 11-0. Eleonora was now up against Amelie Hurwitz in the semi-finals. With both players finding the depth of the court, it was Eleonora who, maintaining a strong left-hand, came through 11-4, 11-1 to reach the final.

On the other side of the draw, Julie McIntyre showed her experience in winning both her first round match against Daisy Fox and her quarter-final against Sofia McWilliam with some great rallies, going through to meet Louise Mathias in the semi-final. Despite Julie’s best efforts, Louise came away with the win to play Eleonora in the final. A first time for them to play each other and, with some great rallies not fully represented in the score, Louise came away with the win 11-0, 11-0.

Meanwhile, in the Singles Plate, two round robin groups were tightly fought. Faye Smart and Sofia Vallascas both proved the dominant players, coming top of their groups to meet each other in the final. Here it was Sofia who managed to return everything Faye shot at her, winning her first open Singles Plate.

On to the Doubles, where, just as we thought we’d not yet had a match go to three sets, Grace Playfair & Isla Derry made a strong comeback from 8-11 down in the first to win the next two games 11-7, 11-8 against Durham pair Emily Hodgson & Evelyn Terry. After this they met Louise Mathias & Eleonora Vallascas, who, set on making it to their second final of the day, took the win 11-0, 11-0. The other semi-final saw a close first game between Amelie Hurwitz & Isabella Davidson and Zoe Armstrong & Charlotte Smith but, after a short break, Amelie & Isabella didn’t waste time in confirming the win. In the final, Louise Mathias & Eleonora Vallascas proved the stronger pair, finishing the day as doubles champions with a 11-0, 11-2 win.

The Doubles Plate, ongoing on the court next door, took the format of another round robin. Here Faye Smart & Julie McIntyre came out on top to earn themselves the first names on the new Doubles Plate trophy.

A fantastic day of Women’s Fives all round to start an exciting season to come.

Singles

1st round: Zoe Armstrong bt Sofia Vallascas 11-1, 11-9; Sofia McWilliam bt Emily Hodgson 11-7, 11-0; Julie McIntyre bt Daisy Fox 11-0, 11-2; Amelie Hurwitz bt Florence Byng 11-1, 11-0; Charlotte Smith bt Evelyn Terry 11-8, 11-8; Grace Playfair bt Faye Smart 11-3, 11-1
Quarter-finals: Louise Mathias bt Armstrong 11-1, 11-0; McIntyre bt McWilliam 11-7, 11-4; Hurwitz bt Smith 11-2, 11-0; Eleonora Vallascas bt Playfair 11-1, 11-0
Semi-finals: Mathias bt McIntyre 11-0, 11-0; Vallascas bt Hurwitz 11-4, 11-1
Final: Mathias bt Vallascas 11-0, 11-0

Plate Group A: 1st Faye Smart 22 pts; 2nd Evelyn Terry 14 pts; 3rd Florence Byng 4 pts
Plate Group B: 1st Sofia Vallascas 22 pts; 2nd Daisy Fox 17 pts; 3rd Emily Hodgson 4 pts
Plate final: Vallascas bt Smart 15-2

Doubles

Quarter-finals: Louise Mathias & Eleonora Vallascas bt Daisy Fox & Sofia McWilliam 11-0, 11-0; Isla Derry & Grace Playfair bt Emily Hodgson & Evelyn Terry 8-11, 11-7, 11-8; Zoe Armstrong & Charlotte Smith bt Julie McIntyre & Faye Smart 11-3, 11-3; Isabella Davidson & Amelie Hurwitz bt Florence Byng & Sofia Vallascas 11-1, 11-2
Semi-finals: Mathias & Vallascas bt Derry & Playfair 11-0, 11-0; Davidson & Hurwitz bt Armstrong & Smith 11-6, 11-0
Final: Mathias & Vallascas bt Davidson & Hurwitz 11-0, 11-2
Plate: 1st McIntyre & Smart 45 pts; 2nd Fox & McWilliam 33 pts; 3rd Byng & Vallascas 26 pts; 4th Hodgson & Terry 23 pts