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Marathon man and woman at it again
Day Two Doubles, by Richard Eaton
Four matches in a day, 13 hours in the arena, nearly three
hundred rallies contested, and countless moments when you think
the body might be going to pack it in: these marathons may
appear to have become the rule for Anthony Clark and
Donna Kellogg rather than the remarkable exception.
But though this is the third successive year that both have
reached two finals, and the third time that each start as
favourites to become doubles champions doubled, don't be fooled
by how familiar it is.
The motivation, fitness and world class skill needed to survive
such a schedule is special, - and perhaps even more special for
both of them at the age of 31 than it was before.
Kellogg took a long time to get back in the groove after the
Olympics and even now is not sure how long she can hold it all
together. Clark had moments today when he thought he couldn't,
for he and Nathan Robertson have been feeling unwell with
a virus for most of the tournament.
 “We're
not going to withdraw,” Clark said. “If we lose, we lose. We're
here to compete and do our best. I've only ever pulled out once
in a tournament in my career.
“I don't like to pull out of anything and neither does Nathan.
We managed to play some horrendous badminton out there and still
win.”
Actually they played varied, and tactically astute badminton
which was more than good enough for the crowd to love it, and
which squeezed them through to a 18-21, 21-13, 21-19 victory
over the ambitious young third seeds, Richard Eidestedt and
Andrew Ellis. It followed a victory seven hours earlier over
Mark James and Matthew Sprake.
Even before that success, Clark and Kellogg had been first into
the arena, despatching Marcus Ellis and Sam Ward before most
people had finished their morning coffee; the former world mixed
doubles silver medallists were back again not long after the
football results to see off Chris Adcock and Gabby White.
There had been hardly been much time to digest lunch before
Kellogg and Suzanne Rayappan were summoned face to Tracy
Baker and Catherine Grant, and Kellogg's relentless day included
another women's doubles in which she and Rayappan reached the
final with a 21-13, 21-6 win over two former England
internationals, Sarah Hardaker and Jo Nicholas.
Kellogg therefore crafted herself the easier day of the two
marathon veterans, and it may be Clark who finds it harder to
surface for the last lap in decent enough condition to keep the
two trophies in the cabinet.
“It's not normal this, that's for sure,” he said, producing a
reaction which was something between a grimace and a grin. “But
that's how it is in the nationals.
“At least I had three easier matches before that last men's
doubles. If I had had four matches in the Super Series I would
have lost my legs by the end of the day.”
He paused. “And we train hard enough to cope with that,” he
added, though there was a suspicion he was trying to convince
himself.
What did he do to get the best out of his body under this
unrelenting strain? “The hard thing is being in the arena all
day,” Clark said. “I was undecided whether to go out of the
arena after the first two matches. But I decided not to.”
Nor will he have massage, as he believes that can break down the
muscle fibres. “I recover with drinks,” he said. “They always
help. But as for now I want to get out of here and get a bit of
food.”
 That
seemed to be a suitable moment to end the interview, though he
did volunteer before leaving that he had been in the habit of
taking an iced bath when possible – "but that it was not easy to
get the ice here.”
It was hard to tell whether that was a blessing or a blessed
relief. Either way the odds are that he will be back in adequate
enough shape for he and Kellogg to contend with Chris Langridge
and Sarah Bok, the surprise finalists, in the mixed doubles
final which starts the last day programme.
Kellogg will have to play the fourth final, the women's doubles,
in which she and Rayappan will take on the second seeds,
Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White, and Clark will play the
fifth, the men's doubles with Robertson.
Chris Adcock and Robert Blair will be their opponents,
which means that Clark will be trying to beat the man with whom
he won the world silver medal two and a half years ago in
Madrid, the now fresher and fitter-looking Blair. And that may
test those old aching bones to the limit.
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