07-Feb:
Hat-trick for Ouseph and
record nine in a row for Clark
RAJIV OUSEPH made it a hat-trick of titles when he won the men’s
singles crown at the English National Championships in
Manchester Velodrome this afternoon.
And that’s the first time a player has won the men’s singles
three years running since 10-times champion Darren Hall in 1991.
But pride of place went to Nottinghamshire’s Anthony Clark, who
made it nine men’s doubles titles in a row – a record for
consecutive wins.
Middlesex man Ouseph defeated Carl Baxter (Avon) 21-15 13-21
21-7 in a repeat of last year’s final and then said: “I’m really
happy. Carl played really well in the middle of the match so I
was pleased to come through it. Now I’ve got the Thomas Cup, the
All England and the Europeans to look forward to.”
Baxter had to be disappointed after playing so well to deny
second seed Andrew Smith (Hants) a place in the final last night
but he admitted: “Raj played much quicker in the third and I
didn’t cope with it.”
Jersey’s Elizabeth Cann scooped her fourth title after saving
three game points against Helen Davies (Cheshire) on the way to
a 23-21 21-15 triumph. “That made up for losing in last year’s
final,” said the top seed who didn’t return to training till
September after a car accident sidelined her for five months
with back trouble.
Yorkshire’s Jenny Wallwork collected two titles in the doubles
events. She and Nathan Robertson won their first National title
together in beating three-times champion Anthony Clark and his
new partner Heather Olver 21-15 21-11. It gave Robertson his
fifth mixed title.
And Wallwork added to Olver’s disappointment when she and Gabby
White defeated her and Avon’s Mariana Agathangelou, the Leeds
pair winning 21-19 21-23 21-11 after a 62-minute battle.
But pride of place on finals day went to Clark, who won the
men’s doubles title for the ninth time in a row, a record for
consecutive wins. He and Robertson, winning his sixth title with
Clark and his eighth overall, defeated Robert Blair and Chris
Adcock 21-14 21-19 in a repeat of last year’s final.
Clark said: “When I was a young player of 16 I used to watch
players like Simon Archer and Chris Hunt and dream about winning
this title just once. I can’t believe I have had this success.
I’ve had some great partners over the years.
“I always look upon the Nationals as the stepping stone to get
the season started and now we have the All England in Birmingham
next month and the Europeans here in Manchester in April to look
forward to. I hope we can push on from here.”
06-Feb:
Baxter stuns Smith at
English Nationals semi-finals
CARL BAXTER avenged a
Malaysian Open first-round defeat by Andrew Smith to reach
tomorrow’s English National men’s singles final for the second
year in a row.
And teenager Sarah Milne came within a handful of points of
knocking out second seed Helen Davies and reaching the women’s
singles final at the Manchester Velodrome tonight.
Avon’s Baxter defeated Hampshire’s Smith by an emphatic 21-13
21-15 margin and the Canadian-born player will now face
defending champion Rajiv Ouseph in tomorrow’s final.
Middlesex man Ouseph is bidding to become the first man since
Darren Hall in 1991 to win three men’s singles titles in a row.
And he is boosted by a 4-0 head-to-head record against Baxter,
the man he beat in last year’s final as well as the Canadian
International tournament.
But Ouseph, who beat close pal Harry Wright 21-5 21-17 in his
semi-final, admitted: “Carl is playing well at the moment.”
Baxter said he played a totally different game than the one
against Smith two weeks ago in Malaysia. “He puts you under such
pressure but I was a bit sloppy against him last time,” he said.
“Tonight I served much better and my play was a lot tidier.
“My game has come on a lot since last year. I played Taufik
Hidayat (Indonesia’s former world and Olympic champion) in the
French Open and lost 21-16 in the third. And I lost 21-18
against Simon Santoso in the China Open but I think I have
learned a lot despite losing those matches.
“But Rajiv is a clever player and I know I’m 0-4 against him”
Jersey’s four-times champion Elizabeth Cann had no trouble
reaching the final with a quarter-final win over Hana Littlecott
and a semi-final victory over Dorset’s Nicola Cerfontyne, both
in straight games.
But Milne knocked out fourth seed Alex Langley (Notts) in
straight games before pushing second seed Davies (Cheshire) all
the way in losing 21-19 18-21 21-12
The mixed doubles final will be between top seeds Nathan
Robertson (Notts) and Jenny Wallwork (Yorks) and Anthony Clark (Notts)
and Heather Olver (Sussex).
Robertson has won the title four times with Gail Emms but has
yet to win with Wallwork. Clark won the last three years with
Donna Kellogg but her retirement in December means that he and
Olver are also bidding for a first title together.
Robertson and Clark are also out to retain their men’s doubles
title where Clark is aiming for a ninth consecutive win, which
would be a record.
Wallwork is also through to the final of the women’s doubles
with Gabby White (Yorks) as the Leeds pair look to take the
title for the first time after losing in last year’s final.
Ouseph and Cann through to
English National semi-finals
Top seeds Rajiv Ouseph and Elizabeth Cann cruised through to
tonight’s semi-finals at the English National Badminton
Championships in Manchester Velodrome today.
Middlesex man Ouseph, bidding for a third men’s singles title in
a row, defeated Surrey’s Sam Dobson 21-9 21-11 to set up a
semi-final against fourth seed and close pal Harry Wright from
Lancashire.
In the bottom half of the draw Hampshire’s second seed Andrew
Smith will face last year’s runner-up Carl Baxter, looking to
repeat his win over the Avon man in the Malaysia Open first
round two weeks ago.
Smith defeated Avon’s Chris Coles 21-14 22-20 in today’s
quarter-finals while Baxter knocked out fifth seed Ben Beckman
of Surrey 21-16 21-12.
In the women’s singles Cann, who missed two match points in
losing last year’s final to Coventry’s Jill Pittard, was too
strong for Hamshire’s Hana Littlecott in winning 21-10 21-7.
Hampshire teenage prospect Panuga Riou gave second seed Helen
Davies a tough test before the Cheshire player came through
23-21 21-15.
But two seeds fell in the women’s singles. Fourth seed Alex
Langley of Nottinghamshire was outplayed by Yorkshire’s Youth
Olympics prospect Sarah Milne 21-12 21-11 while Dorset’s Nicola
Cerfontyne toppled third seed Rachel Howard of Hertfordshire in
the toughest of the quarter-finals 21-17 11-21 21-14.
All four seeds went through to the mixed doubles quarter-finals.
But fourth seeds Robin Middleton (Yorks) and Mariana
Agathangelou (Avon) had a close call when Robert Blair (Leics)
and 17-year-old Jessica Fletcher pushed them all the way before
losing 19-21 21-12 22-20.
No such problems for top seeds Nathan Robertson (Notts) and
Jenny Wallwork (Yorks) and three-time champion Anthony Clark (Notts)
and new partner Heather Olver (Sussex), who cruised through
their semi-finals.
Robertson and Clark are bidding to retain their men’s doubles
title while Wallwork and Leeds partner Gabby White are still on
course to win their first women’s doubles title.
05-Feb:
Cann given a Nationals scare
THREE-TIME champion and
top seed Elizabeth Cann was given a second-round fight by
a teenager prospect at the English National Championships at
Manchester Velodrome tonight.
The England star from Jersey, who had a first-round bye, let
slip the second game of her clash with Helena Lewczynska
of Hertfordshire before booking a quarter-final clash with
Hampshire’s Hana Littlecott.
The 17-year-old from Radlett – she is 18 a week tomorrow (Feb
13) – rattled Cann by taking the second game 23-21. But last
year’s beaten finalist recovered her composure to win 21-10
21-23 21-9.
All top four women’s seeds moved into the last four – as did the
top four men. But the day began with three men’s seeds falling
in the first round in the Nationals since it moved to Manchester
seven years ago.
Sixth seed Nathan D’Cruz of Middlesex lost in three games to
Nottinghamshire’s Neil White, seven seed Jamie Bonsels of
Yorkshire had to return with a calf injury after losing the
first point in his match with Ben Tier of Hampshire.
Eighth seed Chris Hotchen scratched with a cartilage worry to
preserve his mixed doubles chances, only to be forced to pull
out after winning his opening contest.
No such worries for Middlesex’s two-time champion Rajiv
Ouseph, who beat Somerset’s Stuart Rowlands and Surrey’s
Jack Molyneux in straight games to reach the last eight, where
he will face Sam Dobson of Surrey.
Hampshire second seed Andrew Smith, playing his first
Nationals since 2006, also won both his matches in straight
games. But Avon’s Carl Baxter, last year’s runners-up and
second seed, had to work hard to beat Yorkshire’s Jason Marshall
in the second round, winning 21-14 14-21 21-7.
In the mixed doubles defending champion Anthony Clark (Notts)
and new partner Heather Olver (Sussex) had no trouble
winning their opening second-round match while top seeds
Nathan Robertson (Notts) and Jenny Wallwork (Yorks)
also raced into the third round. Both pairs had first-round
byes.
Three seeds fall in opening
session at English Nationals
THREE seeds bowed out of the men’s singles first round when the
English National Championships got under way at Manchester
Velodrome today.
Sixth seed Nathan D’Cruz fell to Nottingham’s Neil
White 18-21 21-13 21-17 while Yorkshire’s seventh seed
Jamie Bonsels was forced to quit at 1-0 down in the opening
game of his clash with Ben Tier of Hampshire with a leg
injury.
Referee Keith Hawthorne said: “I know Bonsels has had a calf
problem and his leg was strapped but the physio said it was
cramp!”
Eighth seed Chris Hotchen of Gloucestershire pulled out
of his match with Surrey’s Sam Dobson with a cartilage
worry but still played mixed doubles.
He went through to the second round with Sarah Boyce of
Sussex before deciding enough was enough, handing Robert
Blair (Leics) and Jessica Fletcher (Yorks) a walkover
into the last eight.
But the three big title challengers had no problems in the first
round. Two-time champion Rajiv Ouseph (Middx), 2009
runner-up Carl Baxter (Avon) and Andrew Smith
(Hants) all won in straight games.
Second seed Smith, playing his first Nationals since reaching
the quarter-finals in 2006, eased past Lancashire’s Tim Cope
21-10 21-9.
In the mixed doubles
defending champion Anthony Clark (Notts) and new partner
Heather Olver (Sussex) had no trouble winning their opening
match while top seeds Nathan Robertson (Notts) and
Jenny Wallwork (Yorks) also raced into the second round.
Elizabeth Cann (Jersey) enjoyed a first-round bye as the
women’s singles got under way.
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