England’s mixed doubles stars Chris and Gabrielle Adcock and Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith came up just short at the Indonesia Masters. Both pairings succumbed to Chinese second seeds Wang Yi Lyu and Huang Dong Ping, who knocked out Ellis and Smith in the last 16 on Thursday before going on to topple the Adcocks in a three-game quarter-final thriller the following day.
The Adcocks raced into a first-game lead in their last eight clash, before a late charge from the formidable Chinese pairing prevented them from reaching the semi-finals. Wang and Huang didn’t have it all their own way in progressing into the last four, with the English pairing rallying hard despite 21-18 and 21-15 defeats in the second and third games. The world number 12 pairing progressed to the quarter-finals with an impressive 21-9 21-12 victory over Tontowi Ahmad and Apriyani Rahayu, following up their first round win over Takuro Hoki and Wakana Nagahara.
Ellis and Smith exited in the last 16, delivering an admirable showing but going down to 21-15 21-12 defeat to Wang and Huang. The duo advanced after a 21-17 21-10 victory over Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova in the first round. The English contingent in the men’s doubles event both suffered first round defeats with Ben Lane and Sean Vendy and Ellis and Chris Langridge falling at the first hurdle. Lane and Vendy were beaten 21-17 21-18 by Chinese duo Lu Ching Yao and Yang Po Han, while Ellis and Langridge were toppled by first seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
But it was far from a procession as the English duo exited, winning the second game 21-19 before losing a thrilling third 26-24 to end their hopes of progression. In the women’s doubles, Smith and Chloe Birch went down to a 21-14 21-14 defeat against Danish pairing Maiken Fruergaard and Sara Thygesen. And in the men’s singles, world number 54 Toby Penty was beaten 22-20 21-18 in the qualifying stages by Japanese player Koki Watanabe.
