Chris and Gabby Adcock cantered to their third successive English National Championships win together at the University of Derby Sports Centre on Sunday.
They defeated Chris Coles and Sophie Brown 21-11, 21-11 in the mixed doubles final to claim their fourth national title together and Gabby’s ninth national doubles title.
The top seeds have now beaten the record of Olympic silver medal-winning pair Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson, who won the mixed doubles on three occasions.
They were also the first British pair to win a title at the World Superseries Finals in December last year and they also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the pair are now focused on next month’s YONEX All England Championships in Birmingham.
“We know there’s some great pairs out there, but we also know if we play well and do our best we’ve got a great shot,” Chris said.
In fact, all five titles at the English championships this year were won by the top seeds. Favourite Rajiv Ouseph won an incredible eighth title in the men’s singles with a dominant victory over debutant finalist Alex Lane 21-10, 21-9.
Warwickshire’s Fontaine Chapmanwon the women's singles title thanks to a hard-fought 21-15, 21-16 victory over second-seeded Chloe Birch.
Following two previous finals' defeats in 2013 and 2015, Chapman produced an authoritative display to conquer her demons and win her first national women’s singles title.
Heather Olver and Lauren Smith beat the second seeds and all-Yorkshire duo of Sophie Brown and Kate Robertshaw to retain their women’s doubles title.
They battled from behind after losing the first set to win 19-21, 21-18, 21-7, and it was Smith’s fourth title in a row.
Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge registered a 21-15, 21-11 victory over Peter Briggs and Tom Wolfenden to claim their second men’s doubles title together.
Sportsbeat 2016