Glasgow’s Imogen Bankier and Edinburgh-born Robert Blair recovered from a sluggish start to win their first round mixed doubles match at the opening Super Series tournament of 2009, the Proton Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

The world No. 8 pair dropped the opening game against Malaysian qualifiers Hee Chun Mak and Marylen Poau Leng Ng before easily winning the next two and the 19-21 21-6 21-10 scoreline earned a last 16 match against another local duo in Thien How Moon and Eei Hui Chin.

In the women’s doubles, Bankier formed a new women’s partnership with England’s top player, Donna Kellogg, But the rookie partnership went out 15-21 14-21 to Malaysians Sook Chin Chong and Khe Wei Woon.