The 2018 World Championships brought both disappointment and positivity for the future. The English doubles player is still planning to play two events even though she has a higher ranking in mixed.
The 26-year-old has been playing with Sarah Walker and Marcus Ellis in March 2017 and has reached a career high ranking as no. 7 in the world with Ellis. Badminton Europe asked her why she continues to compete in two events;
- I enjoy playing women's and mixed. Mixed has helped me improve around the forecourt and in defence which is good for my women's.
- And the movement and strength I get from my women's helps me in mixed. So, they are both positively effecting my performance, she said.
Ups and downs
After a bronze medal in mixed at the 2018 European Championships, the expectations had risen for the World Championships in Nanjing, this August.
- I look back on our performances in Nanjing with a lot of positivity. I was very disappointed after we lost as we definitely could have progressed to the quarter final. But overall, we played a high-level game and there were lots of positives to take from it. I think we will continue to work on the same things we have been, the more tactical side of the game and how to best utilise our strengths as a mixed pair.
Smith is ready for Spain Masters 2018 which kicks off tomorrow on August 28, where she will play as first seeded in mixed with Ellis and women’s doubles with Jessica Pugh.
- For the last part of the year with mixed we hope to continue to keep performing consistently from tournament to tournament and therefore give ourselves more opportunities to play top level pairs.
Long term decisions to be made
Smith did in fact also reach the final in both women’s and mixed doubles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games which earned her two silver medals, including most recently winning the national championships in both categories.
The future will tell if she will be able to keep it up in both events. Judging from the results this weekend, her physical points are accurate, but long-term is another thing;
- I think a lot of our mixed strengths come from playing level doubles so although we may be physically less taxed it might not be the best decision long term.