Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis are now the defending European Games Champions after winning in straight games against Chris and Gabby Adcock.

The much anticipated Mixed Doubles final was the first final on the schedule on the last day of the European Games 2019, and there was no reason to be disappointed from a spectators’ point of view.

The top seeds, Chris and Gabby Adcock, have won back-to-back European Championships and the final of the European Games was a rematch of the 2018 Commonwealth Games final, where the Adcocks came out on top against their countrymen.

Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith came out strong and took the lead at the interval. Ellis and Smith were on court late Saturday night playing Men’s and Women’s Doubles finals, but from the beginning of the first game it did not look like two tired players on court.

Emitional moment
The bronze medalists from the 2018 European Championships 21-14 kept the momentum leading at 11-6 at the interval in the second game, and  Smith and Ellis got their revenge. The second seeds won their first major title winning 21-9 in the second game.

- I have aimed for this sort of title for years now. You want to be on the podium and the British flag go up for us. It was a very emotional moment for me. We have worked so hard for hard for this, Lauren Smith said.

- The start was so important. We know each other well, and my thought before the match were, that the pair getting off to a good start would control. It was important to me to dominate, to move fast and to get the attack, which I feel we did, Marcus Ellis said.

Watch the full interview here 

Mixed Doubles Podium at the European Games 2019:

Gold: Lauren Smith/Marcus Ellis (Great Britain)
Silver: Gabby Adcock/Chris Adcock (Great Britain)
Bronze: Chloe Magee/Sam Magee (Ireland) & Delphine Delrue/Thom Gicquel (France)