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Mairs: I would still play singles if I was any good
Date: 5/14/2020 8:46 AM
Published by : Emilie Sommer (BEC)

Gregory Mairs, 25, plays both mixed doubles and men’s doubles and has had some different partners in both categories, but now it seems like both partnerships are set.

Mairs recently partnered up with Tom Wolfenden, in the men’s doubles and with Victoria Williams in mixed. Playing two categories can be hard if you get further in the tournaments and do not have the breaks between matches. Not many players are able to perform on absolute top level when playing both categories in the same tournament, but Mairs believes that he can be one of the them. 


- I am now playing with Tom and we were due to have a big run of tournaments which we were both really excited for! Unfortunately we only got to play one tournament in Barcelona before tournaments were cancelled. I still want to play two events because I believe I am still developing as a player and playing in two events can only aid this development. A lot of tournaments have been strong recently and may continue to be (depending on what happens with Olympic qualifying) so you could find yourself up against top 25 pairs in the first round of an International Challenge. So if I did not get through that, having another event almost gives you another chance, Mairs stated.


When you as Mairs play both men’s doubles and mixed doubles, you often prefer one of the categories, but when asking if Mairs sees himself as a men’s or mixed players, he says.

- Good question! In my university days from the age of 18-22 I mainly focused on mixed doubles training as I had a regular partner in Jenny but no regular MD partner. I still played MD in tournaments, there was just no real goal towards it. I feel like I have strengths in both events but at the moment I couldn't tell you which one I would choose! I love badminton so the more events the better, I would still play singles if I was any good! 


Read: Maxime Moreels: We were always missing players


The Olympic Games 


Being only 25 and hopefully having a lot of years left of his career, it could a possibility for Mairs to give Paris 2024 a shot as some of the other English men’s doubles and mixed doubles are older and might not continue as long as him. Maybe he can even give Los Angeles 2028 a shot?


- Right now I am just trying to become the best I can be, I have only recently achieved some goals that I had set a few years back such as getting an England cap and also winning the National Championships. Paris would be amazing and so would LA, maybe I should take some tips off Chris Langridge for how I can be playing well at 33. Of course the Olympics are goals but they are not the only goals. Commonwealth games in 2022 is also a huge goal for me! I would not be satisfied going there just to compete in these events, I would always want to be winning. 


Mairs has before played with Jenny More and even won Slovenia International back in 2018, but will they give Paris 2024 a shot together?

- I would love to be there and I would also love Jenny to be playing there! 4 years is a long time in this sport so a lot can change. Right now I'm just focusing on doing the best I can and I know Jenny is too. We will see what happens!


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