Heartbreak for Cann in final

Monday 2nd February 2009, 3:00PM GMT.

ELIZABETH CANN’S domination of the national badminton championships was broken with defeat in a thrilling final at the Manchester Velodrome yesterday.

Chasing her fourth title in five years, Jersey’s Cann went down to Coventry’s Jill Pittard, the second seed, and a runner-up on three previous occasions.

But it was an epic struggle, with Pittard taking the first set 21-19, Cann the second 21-14, before the Warwickshire part-timer clinched her first national title 27-25 in the third.

No 1 seed Cann (29) started as favourite, but Pittard (31), disappointed that she has been overlooked by England for the European championships, opened up a lead from the mid-point of the opening game, a lead she held to go one up. Cann fought back in the second before the crowd were treated to a thrilling decider.

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