Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock announced their retirement

Last updated on March 2nd, 2023 at 12:42 am

England’s popular badminton mixed double pairing, Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock announced their retirement from the sport on Thursday 27th May 2021.

The husband and wife pairing has proved highly successful with them being crowned both European and Commonwealth Games champions on two occasions. The Commonwealth Games wins came in 2014 (Glasgow) and in 2018 (Gold Coast, Australia).

Meawhile the pair’s European Championships gold medals can in 2017 and 2018. In fact the pair have competed together since 2013.

Gabby Adcock or Gabrielle Adcock was born in Leeds on the 30th September 1990. She competed in the women’s doubles, achieving a highest ranking of 16 in 2010. Meanwhile she reached number 4 in the world alongside Chris Adcock in the mixed doubles . Gabby boasts a highly impressive record of 435 career wins across both types of doubles.

Meanwhile Chris Adcock was born in Leicester on the 27th April 1989. He has competed in both the men’s and mixed doubles achieving a career high ranking of 9 and 4 respectively. For Chris he ends his badminton career with an magnificent 468 wins.

Gabby Adcock and Covid-19

Unfortunately back in December 2020 Gabby Adcock tested positive for Covid-19 which left her suffering from long-term effects of coronavirus meaning she had no choice but to miss the 2021 All England Badminton Championships.

She told BBC Sport in March 2021 she was not ready to compete.

“I don’t want to step on court when I’m not conditioned to win,” she said.

“And that’s what I want to do, go into tournaments knowing I can win. I still can’t smell anything, I’m looking forward to getting this back. I’m just very grateful my health is on the way up.”

“I just thought it was odd because I started to warm up and I saw my heart rate went through the roof. It went to 160 in a minute,” she said.

A month later she tried to return but soon realised it was not possible.

“I felt ok. I did some weights. And the next day I did a light bike, which for me is like nothing,” she said. “But the next day I felt horrendous and the next week I just couldn’t do anything.

You can read the full interview over on the BBC website.

Last Competitive Match – Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock

With the pair’s final professional competitive match at the 2021 European Mixed Team Championships qualifiers in December 2020 their latest world ranking has them at number 14 in the mixed doubles.

It will certainly be odd not seeing Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock competing and representing England. The Adcock’s have become synonymous with badminton not only in the UK but the world.

If the coronavirus is the reason for their decision to retire its a real shame as they still had every chance of adding more titles to an already impressive career.

England’s Other Badminton Mixed Doubles Pairs

Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock retirement from the mixed doubles still leaves England with two pairs inside the BWF World Rankings top 40. Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith are England’s highest ranked pair at number 8 in the world followed by the now retired Adcock’s at 14. Lastly there is the pairing of Ben Lane and Jessica Pugh at number 36.

There’s has been some excellent encounters between the Adcock’s and Ellis/Smith in recent times so it’s a real shame that rivalry has now come to an end.

European Championships 2018 – Mixed Doubles Final 29 April 2018

Chris Adcock and Gabby Adcock faced Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen / Christinna Pedersen in the European Championships 2018 mixed doubles. The match went to three games with the Adcock’s winning out 21-18, 17-21, 21-18.