Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork retained their mixed doubles title at the English National Badminton Championships in Manchester when they defeated Chris Adcock and Gabby White 21-18 16-21 21-17 in a 56-minute contest.
It gave Robertson his sixth mixed title after four wins with Gail Emms before his second with Wallwork.
It also put him level with Simon Archer and Mike Tredgett as the most successful men on the mixed doubles honours board at the Nationals.
And later on finals day Wallwork made it a title double for the second year running when she teamed up with White to retain their women’s doubles title, the Leeds pair beating second seeds Mariana Agathangelou and Heather Olver 21-7 21-17.
There was a new name on the women’s singles honours board as Dorset’s Nicola Cerfontyne won a long battle with Sarah Walker of Essex to win 22-20 16-21 21-17 after 58 minutes.
But it was the same old story in the men’s singles where Rajiv Ouseph made it four titles in a row with a third successive final victory over Kent’s Carl Baxter, winning 21-10 21-16 in just 33 minutes.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Related stories:
Badminton: England name strong squad for European Team Championships
Badminton: Middleton and Olver triumph in Sweden
Badminton: Blair and White through to last eight in Malaysia
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
It meant the Middlesex man became the first player to win four men’s singles titles in a row since 10-times champion Darren Hall of Essex won four consecutive titles between 1988-1991.
And the finals finished on a happy note for Robertson and Surrey’s Chris Langridge.
Robertson returned to the court to secure a ninth men’s doubles title when he and Langridge beat Adcock and Andy Ellis (Yorkshrie) 21-12 21-17 in 32 minutes.
Robertson was a late replacement for Anthony Clark after his eye injury on the even of the tournament but his victory took him level with former partners Anthony Clark and Archer on nine, just one behind Tredgett’s record 10 men’s doubles titles.
It also gave Langridge his first victory from his third final appearance after finishing runner-up in 2007 and 2008.
The English National Badminton Championships were brought to Manchester for the eighth year running thanks to the special partnership between Badminton England, Manchester City Council, Carlton, ibadminton, Imperial Consultants and Case Security.
For full reports, news and more pictures of finals days check out the dedicated Championship site www.nationalbadmintonchamps.co.uk
Kim Mogg, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
