Bermuda’s James Stout and his rackets partner Mike Gooding were forced to retire due to injury in the final of the Neptune British Open doubles Championships last weekend.

With the match tied at three games apiece, Stout the reigning rackets world singles champions suffered a foot injury in the first game of the best of seven encounter against second seeds Ben Snell and Nick James, when he and James collided.

Stout spent most of the match hobbling on one leg. In the sixth game his condition worsened after he collided with Snell, and aggravated the injury.

Gooding suffered a head injury when he also collided with Snell in the sixth game and fell against the slate back wall of the court at Queen’s Club, London.

The injuries effectively put paid to Stout and Gooding’s dream of adding the British Open doubles title to the US Open title they won in Philadelphia last month.