Friday

Defending champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms saw their world title snatched away from them in Kuala Lumpur today, beaten in the quarter finals by Indonesia's sixth seeds Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa.

The England pair, who are Olympic silver and Commonwealth gold medallists, lost 21-13 21-16 despite the fourth seeds saving three match points.

Fifth seeds Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg, runners-up to Robertson and Emms in Madrid last September, also bowed out in the quarters minutes earlier on the next court. They lost 21-13 21-10 to third seeds Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yawen.

England won a gold and two silvers at Madrid last year but now their medal hopes rested with Tracey Hallam in the women's singles and Emms and Kellogg in the women's doubles.

Next on court was Hallam, the Commonwealth champion and 16th seed. She faced Olympic gold medallist and top seed Zhang Ning knowing full well that she lost to the Chinese star at the same stage last year. And it was an action replay as the 32-year-old left-hander went down 21-11 2-9.

Emms and Kellogg, the European champions and fifth seeds, were kept waiting till late into the evening before facing second seeds Gao Ling and Huang Sui.

It was around midnight by the time  their brave fight ended in a 21-15 12-21 21-17 defeat.

As recently as June the England squad were celebrating a bronze medal in the Sudirman Cup. But there was nothing to celebrate tonight in Kuala Lumpur.

But Englannd weren't alone. There was disappointment, too, for Denmark with Peter Gade and Kenneth Jonassen both going out of the men's singles.

In fact, there isn't a single European left in the tournament as it moves into Saturday's semi-finals.

Thursday

Commonwealth champion Tracey Hallam put her fans through another nailbiter today as she battled back from a game down to beat Russian Ella Karachkova in the women's singles third round..

The Staffordshire left-hander dropped a tight first game 23-21 but then the fightback began. The 16th seed took the second game 21-15 and clinched the decider 21-19.

It was her third three-game battle in a row after beating Malaysian Li Ya Lydia Cheah and coming from behind to topple Poland's Kamila Augustyn.

Now she faces top seed Zhang Ning of China as she stands one win away from a medal. But the Olympic champion beat her in Madrid last year at the same stage.

European champions Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg are in a similar situation after booking their place in the last eight of the women's doubles with a 21-17 21-15 win over Korean pair Ha Jeung Eun and Hwang Yu Mi.

But barring their path are the formidable Chinese second seeds Gao Ling and Huang Sui.

Kellogg returned to the courts later in the day when she and Anthony Clark, runners-up in the mixed doubles in Madrid, booked their quarter-final place with a hard-fought 21-18 11-21 21-15 win over Singapore's Hendra Wijaya and Jiang Yanmei. They will meet 12th seeds Xu Chen and Zhao Tingting or third seeds Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yawen in the last eight.

Last but not least world champions Nathan Robertson and Gails Emms battled their way into the quarter-finals against Koreans Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung 21-18 8-21 21-16 after a 53-minute struggle.

They will now face sixth seeds Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa.

Wednesday

Ninth seeds Anthony Clark and Robert Blair, the silver medallists in Madrid last year, were early big-name casualties on day three.

The national champions lost 21-16 21-16 to Poland's Robert Mateusiak and Michal Logosz in the second round.

But world champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms got their title defence off to a smooth start with a straight games win over Americans Howard Bach and Eva Lee. World runners-up Clark and Donna Kellogg won their opening mixed doubles 21-11 21-15 against Malaysia's Tan Wee Kiong and Woon Khe Wei.

 European champions Emms and Kellogg are in women's doubles action late on day three.

Commonwealth champion Tracey Hallam came through another three-game battle in beating Poland's Kamila Augustyn 15-21 21-16 21-11. But instead of facing eighth seed and former European champion Yao Jie in the third round tomorrow she will now take on Ella Karachkova. The Russian beat the Dutch ace 22-20 14-21 21-17.

In the men's singles Nick Kidd's bid came to an end against Denmark's seventh seed Kenneth Jonassen 21-14 21-17. But he bowed out in good company as Indonesia's former world and reigning Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat went crashing against India's Anup Sridhar 21-14 24-26 22-20.

Welshman Richard Vaughan also went out 21-17 21-17 in straight games against Ronald Susilo of Singapore.

Another big shock came in the men's doubles where Danish 11th seeds Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen fell to Russians Vitaly Durkin and Alexandr Nikolaenko 30-29 21-18.

England's David Lindley and Chris Langridge went down to 10th seeded Koreans Lee Jae Jin and Hwang Ji Man in a tight two-game encounter 21-19 21-18.

In the women's doubles Suzanne Rayappan and Jenny Wallwork fell to Japan's 12th seeds Aki Akao and Tomomi Matsuda 21-14 9-21 21-12.

Robin Middleton and Liza Parker gave Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa a scare before going down 21-11 19-21 21-15 against the sixth seeds.

Still to play are Lindley & Rayappan against Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Juhl.

For latest scores see www.protonwbc07.com

Tuesday

England's world No 21 Andrew Smith put in a valiant effort against fifth seed and twice runner-up Peter Gade of Denmark at the Proton-BWF World Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

Smith went point for point with the Danish star up to 16-16 in the opening game of their first-round clash on day two before losing out 21-18. In the second game Gade took control to clinch the match 21-10.

Jill Pittard also fell to a seed in the women's singles, beaten in straight games by 14th seed Kaori Mori. The Japanese player went through 21-13 21-16.

The big boost of day two came from David Lindley and Suzanne Rayappan in the mixed doubles when they scored a fine win over Japan's Tadashi Ohtsuka and Satoko Suetsuna  21-12 21-19.

That means they join world champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms and Madrid silver medallists Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg in the second round Wednesday.

Clark and Robert Blair,playing one of the last matches of the day won 21-11
21-9 against Michael Andrey and Christian Boesiger of Switlerland as they began their bid to match their silver medal of Madrid last year.

Monday

Commonwealth champion Tracey Hallam came through a tough opening test on the first day of the world chamionships.

The 32-year-old left-hander, back in the world's top 20 following the ankle operation which kept her out for six months after the world championships in Madrid last September, beat Malaysia's world No 142 Li Ya Lydia Cheah 21-16 19-21 21-11.

That has earned her a second-round clash with Poland's world No 74 Kamila Augustyn on Wednesday. Jill Pittard plays her first-round match on day two.

Double National champion Nick Kidd won his opening men's singles when he beat Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas  in another three-game test. Kidd, facing a player ranked nine places higher at No 55, came through 21-15 10-21 21-12. But it brought him a dubious reward: a second-round clash with Danish second seed kenneth Jonassen.

The first day's big disappointment was the women's doubles defeat of Joanne Nicholas and Natalie Munt by Russians Ekaterina Ananina and Anastasia Russkikh 19-21 21-14 24-22. But Suzanne Rayappan and Jenny Wallwork went into the second round after beating Maja Kersnik and Maja Tvrdy of Slovenia 21-11 21-9.

European champions and fifth seeds Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg received a first-round bye.

In the men's doubles David Lindley and Chris Langridge were first-day winners but Robert Adcock and Robin Middleton were day one losers.

Lindley and Langridge beat Arolas Amahit and Lloyd Escoses of the Philippines 21-11 21-16.

Adcock and Middleton put up a fighting display before going down 21-14 13-21 21-10 to 12th seeds Albertus Susanto Njoto and Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama of Hong Kong.

Last year's world silver medallists Anthony Clark and Robert Blair are in action on day two.

Middleton at least gained a pick-me-up when he and Liza Parker won their mixed doubles against South Africans Dorian James and Michelle Edwards of South Africa 21-12 21-12.

World champions Nathan Robertson and Emms and world runners-up Clark and Kellogg both received first-round byes while Lindley and Rayappan are in action Tuesday.

The first round is being played over Monday and Tuesday.

For full results and to follow live scores check out www.protonwbc07.com