Source: Badminton Photo

Double delight for English pairs at YONEX All England

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Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge set the YONEX All England Championships alight as they became the second English pair to reach the quarter-finals, joining Chris and Gabby Adcock in an eagerly-anticipated session on Friday night.

All England 2016

Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge (Photo: Badminton Photo)

Ellis and Langridge, displaying their famed on-court passion to a jubilant Barclaycard Arena, beat Korea’s seventh seeds, Kim Gi Jung and Kim Sa Rang, after a superb three-game men’s doubles win.

The English national champions, who played superbly on the opening day to reach the last 16, prevailed 14-21, 21-15, 21-16 and will now face top seeded pair Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yoo Seong, also of Korea.

Their win matched England’s previous best showing at the sport’s oldest event when two home pairs reached the last eight in 2010.

“I have played here a million times and I’ve never made the quarters. We are dead chuffed,” said Langridge.

“They are sixth in the world but we played some of the best badminton of our careers. We are really dangerous when we find that little bit extra to beat the top players.”

“It all worked out absolutely perfectly,” admitted Ellis as the pair reached their first major quarter-final since their World Championship run last year.

Ahead of their clash against Lee and Yoo, who won multiple titles in 2015, Ellis added: “We want that extra man on Friday night. When it comes to the crunch anyone can win it on the day.”

All England 2016

Chris and Gabby Adcock (Photo: Badminton Photo)

Chris and Gabby Adcock secured their third successive YONEX All England quarter-final after a clinical and highly convincing mixed doubles’ performance at the Barclaycard Arena on Thursday afternoon.

The world number seven came out to noisy home support and attacked from the start against Kim Gi Jung and Shin Seung Chan before overcoming the Korean pair 21-12, 21-17.

Their last 16 win set up an eagerly-awaited clash against Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir, the second seeds and three-time champions. It will also be a repeat of last year’s quarter-final which the Asian pair won in a thriller.

“We are really happy that we came out strongly and then pushed on. To come out in two comfortable sets is very pleasing,” said Chris.

The top English shuttlers harried the Koreans from the start and soon found themselves 11-4 up. The rallies seemed to go by in a blur as the Adcocks pushed their opponents on the back foot.

The second was much tighter as the Koreans unsurprisingly changed their tactics. But the English duo maintained their advantage, forcing the errors and soon made sure of their passage after 35 minutes of high quality badminton.

“We want to go a step further. It will be tough and hopefully it will be our year,” added Gabby, who also admitted that the two of them are a “more rounded pair” since winning the BWF Superseries Finals.

“We can beat anybody on the day and we will be very confident when we go on. I hope we enjoy the crowd and pull off a win against them. We can’t wait.”

Full results, timings and draws are available here.

Report courtesy of Badminton England