“We’re ecstatic that we won but to be back competing – it’s the best feeling in the world – there’s nothing like it.”
What a week it was for our Olympic bronze medallists Marcus Ellis (quote) and Chris Langridge – taking home the Super 750 crown at the Denmark Open on Sunday.
There have been times this year the duo were doing their elite training from their back gardens when the country was in lockdown and they could not access their England Performance set up as they normally would. To come away with the title is quite remarkable.
The men’s doubles duo may have begun the week a little rusty, but they soon found their rhythm and consistency to beat Russian’s Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov in the final, 20-22, 21-17, 21-18.
Becoming the first English men’s pair to win the Denmark Open since 1975, they couldn’t have asked for a better week to get them back into world tour action.
Progressing
It was also a superb return to international competition for our England junior pairs who are progressing through the ranks.
Nine of the England squad out in Denmark played their first 750 level event and at the quarter-final stage on Friday, we still had six pairs competing.
In the mixed doubles, Chris and Gabby Adcock claimed the silver after just losing out to German pair, Mark Lamsfuss and Isabel Herttrich, 18-21, 21-11, 21-14.
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Ellis also paired up with Lauren Smith to take the bronze after falling to the same German pair on Saturday.
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The final bronze medal came courtesy of Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, who put on a sterling performance in the men’s doubles against the strong Russian partnership, losing out 21-15, 18-21, 21-14.
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Onwards and upwards now as we hope for more world tour competition in the coming months.
