University of Bath to host international badminton match
International badminton comes to the University of Bath next month when the Sports Training Village hosts a Team England match against Japan.
The match, which gets underway at 6.45pm on Friday 16 October, is the first international badminton fixture to take place at the University.
For Team England, which is supported by Center Parcs, it is a prelude to the 100th All England Open Championships in Birmingham in March and the European Individual Championships in Manchester in April.
The two teams should be evenly matched, ensuring some exciting action. They last met in the Sudirman Cup, badminton’s world team championships, in China in May. England scored a resounding 4-1 victory then, but finished the competition in sixth, with Japan seventh.
The England v Japan fixture at the Sudirman Cup marked the 100th England appearance of Athens 2004 Olympic Games mixed doubles silver medallist Nathan Robertson.
Next month’s match will give people the opportunity to see and cheer on some England’s top players.
The squad for the match at Bath and at Loughborough the following day, is yet to be announced but could feature Robertson and fellow Olympian Anthony Clark – the pair who secured England’s first Super Series win in the men’s doubles at the Singapore Open in June.
Clark and Donna Kellogg, the European mixed doubles champion who will be aiming to defend their title in Manchester in April, and could feature in the matches against Japan.
The squad for the two matches is also likely to feature Rajiv Ouseph (Middx), who has joined Andrew Smith (Hants) in the world’s top 30 in men’s singles, and promising doubles players Chris Adcock (Notts), Gabby White (Yorks) and Jenny Wallwork (Yorks). Adcock & White and White & Wallwork are in the world top 20 in their respective doubles events.
Team England will be led by Performance Director Ian Moss and Olympic manager Andy Wood. Moss is taking charge for the first time in a home fixture at the Bath match.
Moss said: “I am looking forward to leading Team England for the first time at home and I am pleased that we are going to two venues that are so important with the training of our emerging squad members.”
Ged Roddy, Director of Sport at the University of Bath, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting this international match between England and Japan. It’s an exciting opportunity to see some of England’s very best badminton players in action at the University of Bath.”
Colin Whaley, Sales & Marketing Director at Center Parcs, said: “Everyone at Center Parcs is very much looking forward to the two forthcoming Japan internationals and it will be great to see some of our England stars, such as Nathan and Anthony, performing on home soil. We are very proud to be a partner of Team England and we wish the whole team the very best of luck.”
The matches will be played under the five-match Sudirman Cup format of men’s and women’s singles and doubles and one mixed.
Tickets will be £12 adults, £10 Badminton England members and £6 concessions – under-16s, OAPs and students.
Tickets are on sale now – see the Badminton England website for booking details.
Tickets will also be available by contacting 01225 384213, from the Sports Training Village reception or from the Team Bath store
For further information about Team Bath please contact Steve Ballinger in the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd on 07765 071 683 or steve@matchtight.co.uk
