Scotland’s Kieran Merrilees gets the new season underway as the No 5 seed in the men’s singles at the Yorkshire Elite Open in Sheffield.

The Glasgow teenager is joined in the men's singles by Yonex Scottish National champion Gordon Thomson, who is seventh seed. Merrilees opens against Chris Hotchen while Thomson meets Arthur Cheung in the first round of a competition where holder and Bank of Scotland International champion Rajiv Ouseph is top seed. 

In the women's singles Glasgow's Linda Sloan, who was runner-up in singles and doubles (with Emma Mason) at last season's Sussex Elite, is third seed and starts with a first-round bye. The 20-year-old is on course to meet England's second seed Panuga Riou in the semi-finals.

Sloan will also play with England's Fontaine Chapman in the women's doubles, while Edinburgh’s Mason begins her 2009-2010 campaign with England's Sam Ward in the same event. In the mixed the Mason joins Andrew Ellis as the No.4 seeds. 

In the men's doubles, Renfrew’s Watson Briggs teams up with Thomson, while the Edinburgh pair of Duncan Leith and Peter Hockey are also in the field.