Coventry's Jill Pittard wins English women's badminton title after having lost three finals

Feb 3 2009 by Colin Stoner, Birmingham Post

Jill Pittard finally won the women’s singles title at the English National Badminton Championships at Manchester Velodrome.

The 31-year-old from Coventry, having lost three finals, capitalised on a seventh match-point to beat three-time champion and English No 1 Elizabeth Cann 21-19, 14-21, 27-25 in 57 minutes. “I shouldn’t be winning this title at 31,” she said. “And I don’t know whether I’ll be back next year. I only wanted to win it once. There aren’t many people who work full-time and get to four national finals. And I shouldn’t be winning as a full-time worker and a part-time player.”

Pittard, dropped from the England squad last summer and not in the team for the European Team Championship in Liverpool from next Tuesday, added: “Maybe the England selectors will take note, especially with the Sudirman Cup and the World Championships coming up this year.”

Rajiv Ouseph beat Carl Baxter 21-16, 21-15, to retain the men’s singles crown.