Wilmslow’s Matthew Nottingham insists that thanks to new men’s doubles partner Harley Towler, 2015 is the year he breaks into the top two badminton pairings in the country.
The 22-year-old, who trains at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, switched partners in September as the British team gears up for another Olympic cycle in the build up to Rio 2016.
Alongside Towler, also 22, former Wilmslow High School student Nottingham is hoping to fight his way into contention for one of the coveted spots on the plane for Rio, and the pair have begun their campaign with some positive results – winning the YONEX Welsh International in November.
And despite losing out in the final at the English National Championships in Crawley last weekend, Nottingham is adamant that with the chemistry they share the pairing can go all the way.
“Last season was one where I progressed a lot,” he said. “I got a new partner in Harley and we are definitely going in the right direction.
“We’ve got to two semis and won a tournament so we’re doing well which is definitely down to hard work.
“We are doing extras before and after each session every day; extra physicals and things and extra video analysis.
“We’re making sure that we are always together and talking about how we’re playing, so we are making acceleration towards being on the same wavelengths quicker.
“For me, my partner has to have the right attitude. Harley shares my hard work attitude and on the court he is always wanting to win and doing his best.
“Usually it takes people in partnerships a little bit of time to get used to each other and see how each other play, but we’re doing everything that we possibly can to make sure that is as little time as possible.”
Nottingham and Towler went down to the number one seeds and more experienced pairing of Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis at the Nationals in a thrilling final that ended 21-17 19-21 21-15.
And despite missing out on that occasion, with the YONEX All England Open Championships looming, Nottingham believes that with age on their side he and Towler are rapidly closing the gap on those above them.
He added: “Getting to the final at the Nationals last week was a big step forwards and it was where we probably played the best badminton that we’ve played.
“It was a tight game but they have a bit more experience in that pair and Harley and I are definitely pushing them now.
“We really believe that in the next six months we can be up at their level comfortably.
“Both the pairs have older players in them, and so we have youth on our side. But the biggest thing in our minds is to make sure the coaches see us as a top two pair, not No.3.
“That’s because we want to be going to European Championships and other big tournaments like that so we can get used to the feeling – all that experience counts.”
Tickets for the YONEX All England 2015 at the stunning new Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham are available at allenglandbadminton.com or call the box office on 0844 444 9994.
Main image courtesy of BADMINTON England via YouTube, with thanks.
