• 2009 Info • Cann • Entry • Seedings • Draws • Emms Out • BE News • Eaton 2009 •

28-Jan-08:
Clark and Robertson No 2 seeds
at the English Nationals

THREE-TIMES former champions Nathan Robertson and Anthony Clark (both Notts) have been seeded second in the men's doubles for the English National Badminton Championships at The Velodrome in SportCity, Manchester, starting on Friday.

The 2004 European silver medallists, who have teamed up again just for the Nationals, are ranked to meet top seeds Robert Blair (Leics) and David Lindley (Notts) in the final after the seedings were announced today.

Blair won the title for the last two years with Clark while Lindley was runner-up on both occasions. Clark is bidding for his seventh National men's doubles title in a row, which would put him one short of Simon Archer's record eight straight wins.

In the men's singles Rajiv Ouseph (Middx) is top seed for the second year running while Nathan Rice (Bucks), who beat Ouseph in the semi-finals last year but lost the final to Nick Kidd, is No 2 seed.

Alex Marritt (Yorks) and Neil White (Notts) are the surprise seeds at No 3 and No 4 respectively with two-time former champion Aamir Ghaffar (Middx) only No 5 seed. Mark Constable (Jersey), who won the 2002 title for Warwickshire, is No 7 seed.

Commonwealth champion Tracey Hallam (Staffs), who missed last year's Championships while she recovered from ankle surgery, is top seed in the women's singles. Jersey's defending champion Elizabeth Cann (who will represent Middlesex) is No 2 seed as both players chase their third Manchester title triumph. Last year's top seed Jill Pittard, three times a runner-up, is No 3 seed.

European champions Gail Emms (Herts) and Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire) are top seeds and defending champions in the women's doubles with Emms hoping to recover from the illness which forced her out of last week's Korea Open.

Two-time champion Joanne Nicholas (Lancs) and partner Natalie Munt (Herts), who have each won the title with Emms, are seeded second as they chase their first National triumph together.

Suzanne Rayappan (Herts) and Jenny Wallwork (Yorks) are No 3 seeds with the Scottish Open runners-up Mariana Agathangelou (Avon) and Gabby White (Yorks) seeded at No 4.



Commonwealth and former world champions Robertson and Emms, the Olympic silver medallists in Athens 2004, are top seeds in the mixed doubles with defending champions Clark and Kellogg at No 2 and England's other world top 20 pair, Lindley and Rayappan, at No 3.

The draw for the Championships, which runs from Friday to Sunday, will be announced at 12 noon on Wednesday.

MEN'S SINGLES

1. Rajiv Ouseph (Middlesex)
2. Nathan Rice (Buckinghamshire)
3. Alex Marritt (Yorkshire)
4. Neil White (Nottinghamshire)
5. Aamir Ghaffar (Middlesex)
6. Ben Beckman (Surrey)
7. Mark Constable (Jersey)
8. James Allinson (Yorkshire)

WOMEN'S SINGLES

1. Tracey Hallam (Staffordshire)
2. Elizabeth Cann (Middlesex)
3. Jill Pittard (Warwickshire)
4. Rachel Howard (Hertfordshire)

MEN'S DOUBLES

1. Robert Blair (Leicestershire) & David Lindley (Nottinghamshire)
2. Anthony Clark & Nathan Robertson (both Nottinghamshire)
3. Andrew Ellis (Yorkshire) & Kristian Roebuck (Northamptonshire)
4. Robert Adcock (Nottinghamshire) & Robin Middleton (Yorkshire)

WOMEN'S DOUBLES

1. Gail Emms (Hertfordshire) & Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire)
2. Natalie Munt (Hertfordshire) & Joanne Nicholas (Lancashire)
3. Suzanne Rayappan (Hertfordshire) & Jenny Wallwork (Yorkshire)
4. Mariana Agathangelou (Avon) & Gabrielle White (Yorkshire)

MIXED DOUBLES

1. Nathan Robertson (Nottinghamshire) & Gail Emms (Hertfordshire)
2. Anthony Clark (Nottinghamshire) & Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire)
3. David Lindley (Nottinghamshire) & Suzanne Rayappan (Hertfordshire)
4. Robin Middleton (Yorkshire) & Liza Smith (Hertfordshire)