WILSON SWISS OPEN – Clark and Kellogg - Experience over Youth

In the morning session on day 1 of the Swiss Open Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg sent out a stark reminder to the rest of the English squad that they mean business in Basel this week. The world number 4 pair took just 23 minutes to send their English understudies Adcock and White home with their tails between their legs.
By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com ( Live in Basel)

The English number ones might feel they have something to prove this week in Switzerland after what must been seen as a poor week for English badminton at the All England’s last week in Birmingham.
In what was being billed as a ‘Battle of Britain’ in today first round turned out to be nothing more than ‘walk in the park’ for the experienced duo as they powered home to a 21-7 21-5 win. In the first set the English Veterans cruised to a virtually unchallenged victory and the second set was more or a warm down that a competitive game as, after the game was tied at 4-4, the younger English duo only managed one further point in the entire game.
World number 1 pairing Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir continued to struggle on European soil this spring as they took three sets to see of the Challenge of David Lindley and Suzanne Rayappan. The Indonesians will be hoping to bounce back this week after their early defeat in Birmingham last week.
Limpele and Russkikh had to bow out in the first round after their heroics in reaching the semi final of the All England’s last week. A disappointing 21-17 21-13 defeat to Malaysia’s Tazari and Wong will leave the new global pairing with much to ponder ahead of their summer’s Super Series trip to Asia.
Elsewhere in the mixed doubles first round Olympic champions got off to a shaky first set start with a 22-20 win over German duo Overzier and Schoettler. The Beijing gold medallists composed themselves and pull away in the second for a 21-8 win and a second round berth. There was delight for the home Swiss crowd as Agung and Tuwankotta left their higher ranked French opponents reeling with a three set win. The Swiss took the opener but Careme and Choinet hit back with a tight 27-25 win after the Swiss squandered match point at 25-24. The Swiss duo held their nerve in the final set and after falling behind 11-5 bounced back to stun their French opponents to take the set 21-18.
Blair and Bankier blew a 13-11 lead in the final set of their first round match and their challenge appeared to instantly dissolve as their Chinese Taipei opponents won the next 10 points to dump the number 6 seeds out at first round stage.