Wallwork and Ellis determined to put frustrations behind them

Indeed, it led to some questioning whether she would even continuing playing badminton. However, Leeds-raised Wallwork has enough confidence in her new mixed doubles partner to ensure that will not be the case just yet.

The 25-year-old had high hopes of qualifying for London 2012 with Olympic mixed doubles silver medallist from 2004 Nathan Robertson, even after the disappointment of last year’s World Championships.

The race for qualification was effectively turned on its head when Imogen Bankier and Chris Adcock won silver and, try as they might, Wallwork and Robertson could not overthrow them.

In order for both to compete at London 2012, they needed to be in the top eight when the year-long qualification period ended in May but Wallwork and Robertson were 17th and Bankier and Adcock 10th.

Bankier and Adcock went to the Games and Robertson retired soon after.

Wallwork teamed up with another Leeds star, Andrew Ellis, and they won the Polish Open in September before injury struck.

Wallwork damaged her back and the pair have not played together since. However, she is upbeat about the future and providing she is fit enough, Wallwork will attend the English National Championships at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester at the start of February, partnering not only Ellis but Alex Langley in the women’s doubles.

“It was very disappointing that we didn’t qualify for London 2012 but we tried everything we could and we didn’t have the year we hoped for,” said Wallwork.

“We (new partner Ellis) had some solid training and we had our first tournament in Poland and won.

“But I injured my back and we have had to pull out of all the tournaments we hoped to play in the last three months.

“A few people have asked if I have thought about packing it in but I’ve never been injured before and I love to play the sport and this has been the most difficult few months of my career so it’s been very, very hard.

“Also with some big tournaments coming up, it makes qualifying that much harder as we don’t have a ranking. But I was really happy to play with Andrew.

“I started to think about who I wanted to play with and he was an obvious choice. He has not played mixed doubles before but we are an aggressive pair and he has taken to it well and is very determined in training.”

Wallwork is not alone in suffering in 2012 as, despite qualifying for London, Bankier and Adcock did not win a game and then split up with the former returning to Scotland.

Adcock now plays with fiancé Gabby White – who is also from Leeds – again but both his and Bankier and Wallwork and Robertson’s world rankings remain, with both pairs in the top 40. Wallwork believes it could remain that way for some time yet. She added: “The first two-and-a-half-months I couldn’t even step onto court and when I did I had another setback so it has been difficult.

“Our training has gone well since but we need more time on court. That sharpness we want to have isn’t there but I guess the more games we have the more it will help.”

Her partner, Ellis, admits he could not have cared less about his status in world badminton after also missing out on London 2012 – but he insists that is an 
attitude that he needs to change fast.

Ellis had high hopes of reaching the Olympics in the men’s doubles with Adcock only to fall one place shy of the top 16 eligible pairs when the year-long qualification period ended in May.

The 25-year-old and Adcock were listed as reserves for the Games and, while his partner played in the mixed doubles competition, Ellis could only watch in frustration.

However, in their six tournaments since the Olympics ended, Ellis and Adcock’s best has been a semi-final place at the Bitburger Open but he believes improving their world ranking is of growing importance.

“Since we missed out on London, I haven’t really paid much attention to the rankings, to be honest,” said Ellis, who lies 23rd with Adcock

“They didn’t really matter in the wake of us not qualifying.

“I know a few pairs have moved above us since we didn’t go but we’ve beaten them before so I don’t pay too much attention to the rankings currently – but we will need to start doing that very soon.

“I always look to break down the season and have mini targets. An eye will be on the Commonwealth Games.

“I want to win there with Chris and push for medals with Jenny if we are still together.

“In terms of looking ahead to the next Olympics in Rio in 2016, Chris and I have to be back in the top 15 in the world so we need to start being consistent.

“Chris and I have been showing we are a top-15 pairing with our results over the last two years so I don’t think it’s too big an ask.”

Of his new partnership with Wallwork, he adds: “We’ve been a bit hampered by Jenny getting an injury, which was frustrating because we won our first tournament together before she was sidelined.

“So we haven’t trained together as much as we would have liked. As a result, we don’t have a ranking and that makes big tournaments more difficult because we have more matches to play.”

Tickets for every day of the English National Badminton Championships are available at www.nationalbadmintonchamps.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 5811 424