Ouseph bidding for hat-trick at English National Championships

RAJIV Ouseph is gunning for a consecutive hat-trick of singles titles at the English National Badminton Championships in Manchester this weekend.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Rajiv Ouseph is bidding to become the first man to complete an English Nationals hat-trick since 1991 (Getty Images)

The 23-year-old is ranked number 24 in the world and will be the only competitor in Manchester, who has previously won the title.

Ouseph won the European Junior Championships in 2005 and is looking to reach his peak in time for the London Olympics in 2012. Should he complete his hat-trick, he will be the first man to do so since Darren Hall in 1991.

The number one seed begins his title defence against Stuart Rowlands on Friday morning at the Manchester Velodrome.

But he will face stiff competition from the second seed and world number 29 Andrew Smith who is entering the competition for the first time in seven years.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Cann is chasing her fourth title in the women's singles but enjoys a bye through to the second round where she will meet Steffi Clarke or Helena Lewczynska.

Defending champions, Anthony Clark and Nathan Robertson, are top seeds in the men's doubles where they are chasing a ninth and seventh win in a row respectively.

Gabby White and Jenny Wallwork will be looking to improve on their runners-up spot last year in the women's doubles now they have reached a world ranking of 24.