Marcus Ellis

Summary

Marcus Ellis (born 14 September 1989) is a British badminton player.[1] He was the men's doubles champion in the English National Championships.[2] Ellis and Chris Langridge won a bronze medal in the men's doubles at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, also gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. At the 2019 Minsk European Games, Ellis captured two gold medals; in the men's doubles with Langridge and in the mixed doubles event with Lauren Smith.

Marcus Ellis
Personal information
CountryEngland
Born (1989-09-14) 14 September 1989 (age 34)
Huddersfield, England
ResidenceSt Albans, England
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
HandednessRight
CoachPeter Jeffrey
Men's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking11 (MD with Chris Langridge 4 May 2021)
7 (XD with Lauren Smith 21 June 2018)
Current ranking28 (XD with Lauren Smith 2 January 2024)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Men's doubles
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Minsk Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2019 Minsk Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Kraków–Małopolska Mixed doubles
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 2022 Birmingham Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Mixed team
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2021 Kyiv Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 La Roche-sur-Yon Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Huelva Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Kyiv Men's doubles
European Mixed Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2015 Leuven Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Moscow Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Lubin Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Aire-sur-la-Lys Mixed team
European Men's Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2014 Basel Men's team
Silver medal – second place 2018 Kazan Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Amsterdam Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Kazan Men's team
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Völklingen Mixed team
BWF profile

Personal life edit

Marcus Ellis, the youngest son of Sheila and John Ellis, was born on 14 September 1989 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.[3] He has an elder brother James. Ellis started playing badminton aged seven when his father took him to the Colne Valley Leisure Centre in Slaithwaite.[4]

Ellis was first educated at Clough Head Junior School in Huddersfield, before attending Colne Valley High School, a state comprehensive school in the village of Linthwaite.[5] He attended high school with Alex Smithies, now the goalkeeper for Huddersfield Town Football Club.[1] He then studied for 6 months at Huddersfield New College before deciding to move away from Huddersfield at the age of 17 so he may train at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes.[4]

Ellis lived in St Albans.[6]

Career edit

In the early years of his professional career, Ellis teamed up with a number of players in the doubles, such as Tom Wolfenden and Peter Mills in the men's doubles, and Gabby Adcock and Mariana Agathangelou in the mixed.[7] He won the men's doubles at the Denmark International in 2013 with Paul van Rietvelde.[8]

In September 2014, he teamed up with Chris Langridge. They won their first men's doubles title in December 2014 in the Italian Open,[9] and their first title in the English National Badminton Championships in February 2015, which they won again in 2016. They also won the Welsh International in 2015.[10] They were defeated in the 2016 European Championships in La Roche-sur-Yon in the semi-finals to gain a bronze.[11] They have also won medals in the European Team Championships – a silver in the Mixed Team in 2015,[12] and a bronze medal in the Men's Team in 2016.[13]

During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Ellis and Langridge were ranked No. 22 in the world, but they managed to win a bronze, the first medal in badminton men's doubles won by a British team at the Olympics.[14]

In 2017, he won his first Grand Prix tournament title at the Dutch Open in the mixed doubles event with Lauren Smith.[15]

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia, Ellis captured three medals – he won a gold in the men's doubles with Chris Langridge, which is England's first men's badminton double title at the Games in 40 years;[16] a silver in the mixed doubles with Lauren Smith; and also a bronze in the mixed team event.[17][18][19] At the 2018 European Championships held in Huelva, Spain, he finished in the semi-final, and settled for a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event with Smith after lose a match to Danish pair Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen in the rubber games.[20]

Ellis qualified to represent Great Britain at the 2019 European Games, played in the men's doubles with Chris Langridge and in the mixed doubles with Lauren Smith. Competed as the second seeds in the men's and mixed doubles event, he reached the finals in both events.[21] In the men's doubles, Ellis and Langridge managed to claim the gold medal after beat the top seeds from Denmark Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in straight games 21–17, 21–10.[22] He secured his second gold in the mixed doubles with Smith after beat their teammates the top seeds Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock with the score 21–14, 21–9.[23]

Ellis opened the 2020 season by achieved his biggest triumph as in just his second tournament of the season, he won his first Super 300 event in Thailand Masters partnered with Lauren Smith.[24] He and Smith then reached in to the quarter-finals of Spain Masters and semi finals of All England Open. In October, Ellis and Chris Langridge won the men's doubles title at the 2020 Denmark Open, became the first English men's doubles pair in 45 years to win the Denmark Open.[25]

Ellis competed at the 2021 European Championships in Kyiv, Ukraine, and won a silver medal in the mixed doubles with Smith and a bronze in the men's doubles with Langridge.[26] In July, he and Smith played at the 2020 Summer Olympics, but was eliminated in the quarter-finals.[27]

In 2022, Ellis competed at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England as mixed doubles second seed with his partner Lauren Smith. They progressed to the final, but lost to third seeded from Singapore Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, settled for the silver medal.[28] After the Commonwealth Games, Ellis had to withdraw for the next tournament due to a hip injury and planned surgery.[29]

Achievements edit

 
Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith at the German Open 2022

Olympic Games edit

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2016 Riocentro - Pavilion 4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil   Chris Langridge   Chai Biao
  Hong Wei
21–18, 19–21, 21–10   Bronze

Commonwealth Games edit

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2018 Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre, Gold Coast, Australia   Chris Langridge   Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
  Chirag Shetty
21–13, 21–16   Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2018 Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre, Gold Coast, Australia   Lauren Smith   Chris Adcock
  Gabby Adcock
21–19, 17–21, 16–21   Silver
2022 National Exhibition Centre,
Birmingham, England
  Lauren Smith   Terry Hee
  Jessica Tan
16–21, 15–21   Silver

European Games edit

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2019 Falcon Club,
Minsk, Belarus
  Chris Langridge   Kim Astrup
  Anders Skaarup Rasmussen
21–17, 21–10   Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2019 Falcon Club,
Minsk, Belarus
  Lauren Smith   Chris Adcock
  Gabby Adcock
21–14, 21–9   Gold
2023 Arena Jaskółka,
Tarnów, Poland
  Lauren Smith   Thom Gicquel
  Delphine Delrue
18–21, 21–14, 18–21   Bronze

European Championships edit

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2016 Vendéspace, La Roche-sur-Yon, France   Chris Langridge   Mads Conrad-Petersen
  Mads Pieler Kolding
19–21, 14–21   Bronze
2021 Palace of Sports, Kyiv, Ukraine   Chris Langridge   Vladimir Ivanov
  Ivan Sozonov
15–21, 10–21   Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2018 Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Huelva, Spain   Lauren Smith   Mathias Christiansen
  Christinna Pedersen
16–21, 21–19, 12–21   Bronze
2021 Palace of Sports, Kyiv, Ukraine   Lauren Smith   Rodion Alimov
  Alina Davletova
21–11, 16–21, 15–21   Silver

BWF World Tour (9 titles, 3 runners-up) edit

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[30] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[31]

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2018 Canada Open Super 100   Chris Langridge   Mark Lamsfuß
  Marvin Seidel
19–21, 21–18, 22–20   Winner
2018 SaarLorLux Open Super 100   Chris Langridge   Aaron Chia
  Soh Wooi Yik
21–23, 21–18, 21–19   Winner
2018 Scottish Open Super 100   Chris Langridge   David Daugaard
  Frederik Søgaard
23–21, 21–16   Winner
2020 Denmark Open Super 750   Chris Langridge   Vladimir Ivanov
  Ivan Sozonov
20–22, 21–17, 21–18   Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2018 Swiss Open Super 300   Lauren Smith   Mark Lamsfuß
  Isabel Herttrich
20–22, 19–21   Runner-up
2018 Canada Open Super 100   Lauren Smith   Mark Lamsfuß
  Isabel Herttrich
21–13, 21–4   Winner
2018 Spain Masters Super 300   Lauren Smith   Niclas Nøhr
  Sara Thygesen
19–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2018 Dutch Open Super 100   Lauren Smith   Thom Gicquel
  Delphine Delrue
21–15, 21–15   Winner
2018 SaarLorLux Open Super 100   Lauren Smith   Lu Kai
  Chen Lu
19–21, 21–18, 21–10   Winner
2018 Scottish Open Super 100   Lauren Smith   Jacco Arends
  Selena Piek
13–6 retired   Winner
2019 Syed Modi International Super 300   Lauren Smith   Rodion Alimov
  Alina Davletova
18–21, 16–21   Runner-up
2020 Thailand Masters Super 300   Lauren Smith   Hafiz Faizal
  Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja
21–16, 13–21, 21–16   Winner

BWF Grand Prix (1 title, 1 runner-up) edit

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2012 Dutch Open   Gabrielle White   Mads Pieler Kolding
  Kamilla Rytter Juhl
15–21, 13–21   Runner-up
2017 Dutch Open   Lauren Smith   Jacco Arends
  Selena Piek
21–17, 21–18   Winner
  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (17 titles, 14 runners-up) edit

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2009 Belgian International   Peter Mills   Ruud Bosch
  Koen Ridder
28–30, 12–21   Runner-up
2009 Irish International   Peter Mills   Mads Conrad-Petersen
  Mads Pieler Kolding
18–21, 11–21   Runner-up
2010 Czech International   Peter Mills   Chris Langridge
  Robin Middleton
9–21, 19–21   Runner-up
2010 Bulgarian International   Peter Mills   Martin Campbell
  Angus Gilmour
21–14, 21–10   Winner
2010 Norwegian International   Peter Mills   Ingo Kindervater
  Johannes Schöttler
17–21, 21–23   Runner-up
2010 Scottish International   Peter Mills   Chris Adcock
  Andrew Ellis
21–19, 11–21, 21–15   Winner
2011 Scottish International   Peter Mills   Vladimir Ivanov
  Ivan Sozonov
19–21, 19–21   Runner-up
2011 Irish International   Peter Mills   Adam Cwalina
  Michał Łogosz
15–21, 15–21   Runner-up
2012 Portugal International   Paul van Rietvelde   Zvonimir Đurkinjak
  Nikolaj Overgaard
12–21, 20–22   Runner-up
2012 Belgian International   Paul van Rietvelde   Adam Cwalina
  Koen Ridder
18–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2012 Welsh International   Paul van Rietvelde   Peter Briggs
  Harley Towler
16–21, 21–9, 21–16   Winner
2013 Italian International   Paul van Rietvelde   Kim Astrup
  Anders Skaarup Rasmussen
25–23, 16–21, 21–19   Winner
2014 Italian International   Chris Langridge   Michael Fuchs
  Johannes Schöttler
21–11, 21–19   Winner
2015 White Nights   Chris Langridge   Koo Kien Keat
  Tan Boon Heong
10–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2015 Welsh International   Chris Langridge   Adam Cwalina
  Przemysław Wacha
21–16, 16–21, 21–16   Winner
2016 Austrian Open   Chris Langridge   Kenya Mitsuhashi
  Yuta Watanabe
21–14, 21–16   Winner
2017 Yonex / K&D Graphics International   Chris Langridge   Lu Chia-hung
  Lu Chia-pin
21–14, 21–17   Winner
2019 Azerbaijan International   Chris Langridge   Mark Lamsfuß
  Marvin Seidel
17–21, 21–23   Runner-up
2019 Kharkiv International   Chris Langridge   Ben Lane
  Sean Vendy
19–21, 18–21   Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2009 Norwegian International   Heather Olver   Robin Middleton
  Mariana Agathangelou
21–19, 21–17   Winner
2009 Belgian International   Heather Olver   Wouter Claes
  Nathalie Descamps
21–9, 25–23   Winner
2011 Irish International   Heather Olver   Dave Khodabux
  Selena Piek
21–19, 21–17   Winner
2012 Portugal International   Gabrielle White   Zvonimir Đurkinjak
  Staša Poznanović
21–17, 15–21, 24–22   Winner
2012 Spanish Open   Gabrielle White   Ronan Labar
  Émilie Lefel
21–9, 21–13   Winner
2012 Belgian International   Gabrielle White   Chris Langridge
  Heather Olver
9–21, 21–10, 21–17   Winner
2012 Czech International   Gabrielle White   Chris Langridge
  Heather Olver
20–22, 7–6 retired   Runner-up
2012 Scottish International   Gabrielle White   Ruud Bosch
  Selena Piek
21–16, 21–16   Winner
2012 Welsh International   Gabrielle White   Chris Langridge
  Heather Olver
22–20, 21–16   Winner
2013 French International   Alyssa Lim   Robert Blair
  Imogen Bankier
17–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2017 Italian International   Lauren Smith   Ben Lane
  Jessica Pugh
21–16, 19–21, 4–21   Runner-up
2023 Belgian International   Lauren Smith   Mikkel Mikkelsen
  Rikke Søby Hansen
21–18, 21–15   Winner
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Marcus Ellis". Badminton England. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Men's champions". Badminton England. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  3. ^ Booth, Mel (18 August 2016). "Rio 2016: Ellis family hoping Marcus can deliver medal dream to Huddersfield". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
  4. ^ a b Booth, Mel (17 August 2016). "Long road from Colne Valley Leisure Centre to Rio for Olympic hero Marcus Ellis". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
  5. ^ Booth, Mel (18 August 2016). "Tears flow as Huddersfield badminton star Marcus Ellis wins Olympic bronze medal". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
  6. ^ "Examiner Community Awards 2017: Meet the nominees for Sports Personality". examiner.co.uk. Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Marcus Ellis: Ranking history". Badminton World Federation.
  8. ^ "Ellis and Van Rietvelde triumph in Denmark". Badminton England. 4 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Ellis and Langridge's road to Rio bronze". Badminton England. 22 August 2016.
  10. ^ Gildea, Samantha (11 August 2016). "Olympic Games Rio 2016: Who is Marcus Ellis? All about the Team GB badminton player". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
  11. ^ Scott.Kirk (3 May 2016). "Two bronze medals for Milton Keynes- based England players at European Championships". One MK.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Sukumar, Dev (15 February 2015). "2015 European Mixed Team Championships – Day 5: Denmark Reclaim Crown". Badminton World Federation.
  13. ^ "European Badminton 2016: England settle for bronze". Badminton England. 20 February 2016.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Johnson, Daniel (26 August 2016). "Badminton heroes Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge turn sights to 2020". The Daily Telegraph.
  15. ^ Daal Van, Mireille (15 October 2017). "First tournament victory for Ellis and Smith". Badminton Europe.
  16. ^ "England pair win badminton men's doubles gold". BBC Sport. 15 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Chris and Gabby Adcock retain badminton mixed doubles title". BBC Sport. 15 April 2018.
  18. ^ Booth, Mel (9 April 2018). "Huddersfield ace Marcus Ellis wins England team bronze in Commonwealth Games". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
  19. ^ "Participants: Marcus Ellis". Gold Coast 2018. 25 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Chris and Gabby Adcock and Rajiv Ouseph reach European Championship finals". BBC. 28 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Pressure to perform spurs British badminton stars to new heights". Minsk 2019. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  22. ^ Bech, Rasmus (29 June 2019). "Langridge and Ellis did it again". Badminton Europe.
  23. ^ Bech, Rasmus (30 June 2019). "Smith and Ellis winning Team GB clash". Badminton Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  24. ^ Sukumar, Dev (28 January 2020). "Thai Triumph Provides Fillip for Ellis & Smith in Olympic Year". olympics.bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  25. ^ Sukumar, Dev (18 October 2020). "Denmark Open: Ellis/Langridge Break 45-Year Spell". bwfbadminton.com. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  26. ^ "Latest From The Euros". badmintonengland.co.uk. 4 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  27. ^ "Badminton - ELLIS Marcus". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  28. ^ Shaw, Martin (8 August 2022). "Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith win silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham". Huddersfield Hub. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  29. ^ "Marcus Ellis Withdraws From BWF World Championships". Badminton England. 16 August 2022. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  30. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (19 March 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  31. ^ Sukumar, Dev (10 January 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

External links edit