Seeds knocked out on Day 1 of English National Badminton Championships

1 February 2025

Four players are still fighting for national honours on two fronts after reaching the semi-finals of the English National Badminton Championships 2025. 

Ethan and Estelle van Leeuwen teamed up in the mixed doubles in Nottingham, while also reaching the last four of the open and women’s doubles respectively. 

Lado knocked out a seed alongside Harry Wakefield in the mixed doubles before making it to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles, with Elizabeth Tolman also making it through in both her doubles events. 

In the mixed doubles, top seeds Ethan and Estelle van Leeuwen made it safely through in the mixed doubles. 

Credit @alanspink1743

The sibling duo did not drop a game en route to the last four as they beat Ewen Stephen and Chloe Dennis, and Harry Lines and Susanna Ogden. 

They will face Rory Easton and Elizabeth Tolman who again came through their first two matches unscathed. 

Defending champions and second seeds Greg and Jenny Mairs have set up meeting with Harry Wakefield and Annie Lado as they defied a comeback from third/fourth seeds Oliver Butler and Sian Kelly to advance. 

Defending open singles champion Harry Huang had to come from a game down to progress to the semi-finals. 

Facing Charlie Castle in the last eight, Huang found himself behind before recovering to advance 12-21 21-15 21-8. 

Sid Palakkal pulled off an upset as he defeated third/fourth seed Heng Lin Ngan 21-16, 21-15 to make it through. 

Also reaching the last four were Cholon Kayan and Nadeem Dalvi, who will face each other having both come through their opening two matches without dropping a game. 

Credit @alanspink1743

Ben Lane and Sean Vendy withdrew from their open doubles defence to leave Gregory Mairs and Ethan van Leeuwen as the only two former champions in the draw. 

The two have formed a partnership for this year’s tournament and have made it through to the semi-finals where they will face Oliver Butler and Samuel Jones. 

In the other half of the draw, Rory Easton and Alex Green will meet Barney Chua Yue Chen and Zach Russ with the latter coming through a 20-22 21-19 22-20 battle in their opening game against Ollie Baczala and Ting Yu Goh. 

Aahna Bhatia overcame third/fourth seed Tranthini Kumaravel 21-15 21-13 to book her place in the women’s singles quarter-finals. 

There she was knocked out by a fellow unseeded player Alexandra Oprisan, who beat Bhatia 15-21 21-12 21-14 to make the last four. 

Oprisan will face top seed Freya Patel-Redfearn after she defeated Paris Olympian Dorsa Yavarivafa in the Round of 16. 

Defending champion Kirby Ngan, who was looking for a third straight victory, was unable to repeat her feat as she was beaten 13-21 21-18 21-12 by Leona Lee. 

Lee will face Tashvi Parab in the semi-finals after Parab overcame Evelyn Yu and Kate Ellis en route to the last four. 

Sian Kelly and Annie Lado were the first women’s doubles pair to confirm their place in the last four with a 21-10 21-12 win over Charlotte and Gemma Atkins. 

They are joined by seeds Estelle van Leeuwen and Lisa Curtin, and Abbygael Harris and Elizabeth Tolman. 

However, third/fourth seeds Jessica Allen and Abbie Smith were beaten in a thrilling last-eight tie with Chloe Dennis and Natasha Lado, who triumphed 21-16 13-21 21-18.

Attend the English National Badminton Championships, tickets can be bought here or watch on the Badminton England YouTube.