MARK Constable is the new Island badminton singles champion.

The former England No 1 cruised to a comfortable straight sets victory at the New Gilson Hall last night in the Closed Badminton Island championships, against Chris Guillochon, then he and partner Lucy Burns denied Kerry Coombs-Goodfellow, paired with Anton Kriel, her third Island title of the week, in the mixed doubles.

‘I’m very pleased to have got my first Island title,’ Constable said.

‘Chris was a bit nervous at first, but he played better in the second set and came back with some good badminton.’ He added: ‘I was looking at the number of times Ian’s name is on the trophy – that’s going to take some beating!’ Meanwhile, the old guard were demonstrating that experience counts for a great deal, as Ian Coombs-Goodfellow and Kriel, a South African former Olympian, wrested the men’s doubles title from defending champions Gavin Carter and Clive Dunford, in straight, but very close, hard-fought sets.

First on court last night was the mixed doubles final, and Constable/ Burns were made to work for their title, in a tough three-setter.

It took Kriel/ Kerry Coombs-Goodfellow a while to settle and they soon found themselves 7-2 down, but they fought back and took the first set 15-13.

The second went to Constable/ Burns, as they came storming back to win 15-5.

Kriel/Coombs-Goodfellow, a powerful combination, were not ready to admit defeat, though, and there followed a period of exceptional long, fast and entertaining rallies.

But Constable/Burns’ consistency finally saw them through to a 15-9 win and the title.

Defending men’s doubles champions Carter/ Dunford found the early stages of the sets dominated by Ian Coombs-Goodfellow/ Kriel, but pulled their game together to produce a run of points as they moved their opponents round the court, and were level at 12-12 in the first before losing 15-12.

They were beaten 15-13 in the second as, with good, attacking badminton and a sound defence, the senior pair took their opportunities, and the title.