Badminton: Smith's enduring spirit

FIONA SMITH overcame a disturbed night and a Danish opponent to become the home country's only quarter-finals singles survivor at the Yonex All England championships at Wembley yesterday, writes James Leigh. The triple Commonwealth Games gold medalist, with her two-year-old son in tow, beat Tanja Berg 11-5, 11-8 to reach the last eight for only the second time.

Smith was awakened three times by baby Oliver but only briefly bothered by Berg, who caused 13 changes of serve between 3-3 and 4-3 in the second game but tired in the process. Smith was later beaten by Susi Susanti, the top-seeded Olympic champion from Indonesia, 11-5, 11-3. England's sole men's singles survivor, Darren Hall, lost to the top-seeded Indonesian, Heryanto Arbi, 15-11, 15-9.