"Yeah I'm confident," he told insidethegames during an interview here today.

"It's obviously a good tournament for me having won it the last couple of years.

"I'd really like to keep that record going.

"For me it's just important that we win matches and win tournaments.

"It's not often for us guys that we get to the later stages of the big international tournaments so for us to take the chance to win a tournament is a big thing I think.

"Having won it the last few times it's important for me to think about winning it, and I know that there's some pressure on me to win and to keep my record going but I'd really like to keep it going."

Rajiv Ouseph has won the men's singles title at the English National Championships every year since 2008 ©Getty Images


Ouseph has dominated the event since his first win in 2008 but knows his path to a seventh successive title will not be easy.

One man hoping to stand in his way is England's number three Toby Penty who, despite competing in his first tournament of the season following an injury during the World Championships last August, hopes he can put an end to the Commonwealth Games silver-medallist's dominant reign in the event..

"Obviously it's going to be tough he's won it so many years but you've always got to think you've got a chance," said Penty.

"If everything's going right for me I know I've got shots than can maybe hurt him.

"I know it's going to be tough but someone's got to do it sooner or later."

Chris and Gabby Adcock took gold at the Hong Kong Open last November to move them up to fifth in the world mixed doubles rankings ©Getty Images



Chris and Gabby Adcock will be hoping to build on their success at the Hong Kong Open in November which saw the pair reach a career high of fifth in the world mixed doubles rankings.

The husband and wife duo beat China's Olympic champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei en route to the title and will be looking to regain the title they won together in 2012.

Standing in their way, however, will be 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist Gail Emms, who is returning to the Championships for a one-off "play for fun"appearance.

She is paired with current England international and 2013 runner-up Marcus Ellis.

In the men's doubles, Adcock will team up with partner Andy Ellis, who missed last year's Championships, hoping to regain the title they won in 2012.

Adcock, and partner Marcus Ellis, were beaten in the final of last year's competition by Christopher Langridge and Peter Mills who come into this year's tournament seeded second.

Gail Emms will team up with Ella Tripp in the women's doubles event as the duo return to the National Championships as it makes its way to stadium:mk for the first time ©ITG


The women's doubles will see Adcock and partner Lauren Smith aiming for a second successive title, with Adcock looking to win a fifth on the bounce.

The pair could meet Emms and former England international and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ella Tripp at the quarter-final stage, should each pair win their opening matches, but Smith is confident the reigning champions can defend the title they won 12 months ago.

"We won it last year so there's kind of the expectation from that and a new kind of pressure to deal with but I'm definitely hoping to retain our title," said Smith.

"I still think when we play our best it's well within our reach and hopefully we'll stay focused and perform again."

The women's singles will be one of the most open contests of the Championships with three past or present champions among the line-up.

Defending champion Sarah Walker has fifth seed Chloe Birch likely to bar her path at the quarter-final stage, with third seed Panuga Riou and sixth seed Georgina Bland set to contest the other quarter-final.

In the bottom half, five-times champion Elizabeth Cann should come through to face second seed and 2013 runner-up Fontaine Chapman in the quarter-finals, where 2011 winner and fourth seed Nicola Cerfontyne should meet seventh seed Lewczynska.

The National Championships will be held at stadium:mk for the first time this year following a nine-year spell at Manchester's Velodrome.

The first day of competition is due to get underway on Saturday (February 8), with play concluding the following day (February 9).

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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