National Badminton League: Peter Mills to face former doubles partner Chris Langridge
Wednesday 1 October 2014 15:28, UK
MK Badminton star Peter Mills believes the brand new National Badminton League (NBL) will make for some “intriguing” matches when the season kicks off on 6 October.
Mills will face former men’s doubles partner, Chris Langridge, on the opposite side of the net in MK Badminton’s opening NBL fixture against Surrey Smashers – a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 3HD.
Mills and Langridge won Commonwealth Games bronze in Glasgow and have climbed the world rankings to a career high 20th during 2014 but both will join up with new partners – Mills with Andy Ellis, Langridge with Marcus Ellis – in the lead up to Rio 2016.
“After the highs Chris and I have enjoyed as a doubles pair over the last 12 months or so, it will be a very weird experience to face Chris across the net,” said Mills. “We don't even do that that often in training.
“We spend so much time together both on and off court that not to have him on the same side is going to feel odd.”
The two NBL team captains will lead strong squads on the opening night which will also see Birmingham Lions play Team Derby at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.
And Mills, 26, believes the format and structure, as well as top-level partnerships going head-to-head will give the NBL championship title chase an exciting edge.
Mills said: “That's the beauty of the NBL as it will throw up some different partnerships and pairings and that is going to set up some really intriguing matches.
“Both myself and Chris have been named as captains for our teams as well which adds a bit of extra spice to the opening fixture and knowing Chris, neither of us will want to lose to one another so it's certainly going to set the season off with a bang.”
