Two dissapointing footnotes can be added underneath the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the English story of badminton, not only did England fail to make the final of the team event for the first time but they will also leave the games without a single gold medal to speak of.
But that's not to say they should go away dissapointed as they still won five medals, two bronze and three silver, an considerable achievement, expecially with the badminton world being increasingly dominated by Asia. The final day of action at the commonwealth games saw English participants in three of the five matches but the Malaysian squad proved the stronger in each of them.
The day started off with the English pairing of Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork losing out to Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat and Chin Eei Hui in the mixed doubles final, the first game being a tight 22-20 steal for the Malaysians before they came out comfortably in the second 21-12 winners. It was a shame for Robertson who was looking to defend the mixed title he won at the Melbourne games in 2006.
The second match of the day was the final of the womens doubles draw. The pairs battling for the gold medals were India's Jwala Gutta and Ashwina Ponnappa and Sari Shinta Mulia and Yao Lei of Singapore. This proved to be an even contest but eventually Gutta and Ponnappa took control when it mattered and ran out 21-16 21-19 winners.
Third on court gave the capacity crowd the chance to see world number one Lee Chong Wei, he faced off against English number one and world number sixteen Rajiv Ouseph, the second seed for the games. Ouseph looked as though he may cause an unlikely upset, racing into a 5-1 lead before the class of Lee Chong Wei came out in abundance, eventually winning 21-10. In the second game the Malaysian's victory never looked in doubt as the two-time Japan Open cahmpion walked away with a 21-8 win for the gold medal.
The usually gracious Lee surprised many in a post match interview, telling the BWF website that there was 'no competition' for him, the level was 'easy' and that he was only using the commonwealths as preparation for the Asian Games next month. This is certiainly true as he waltzed through each round of the tournament, but to come out and say this is rather our of character.
Up next was another England v Malaysia tie, seeing Nathan Robertson and Koo Kien Keat face eachother for the second time in the day, this time partnered by Anthony Clark and Tan Boon Heong respectively. Clark and Robertson took the first points and controlled the early play, taking an 11-8 lead into the mid game interval before they eventually lost out 21-19, the Malaysians not having lead until they reached eighteen points.
The second game saw a similar pattern up until the mid game interval, which the English pair once gain went to in the lead. But after the break there was no contest, Koo and Tan reigning victorious as 21-14 winners.
The final match of they day saw home favourite Saina Nehwal play yet another Malaysian in Wong Mew Choo. Despite having the crowd behind her Nehwal lost the first game 21-19 and nearly threw her medal chance away in the second. At 21-20 Wong had the oppurtunity to take the title, though she lost the next point and, eventually, the game by a score of 23-21. That was about that for the Malaysian, as Nehwal pulled away in the decider and won 21-13 to a background of jubilant scenes from the home audience.
England also picked up a medal in the ladies draw, Liz Cann of Jersey beating Scotland's Susan Egelstaff in the bronze medal play off 21-18 21-16. Also competing for a bronze medal were Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White, this time in the womens doubles. They went into the match with high hopes, playing as they were against the unseeeded pairing of Kate Wilson-Smith and Tang He Tien of Australia but it was to be dissapointment at the end as they went down 21-23 21-12 21-16.
That ends eleven straight days of badminton at the Commonwealth Games. The next big event being the Denmark Super Series, starting on the 26th of October in Odense.
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