Ouseph nearing Commonwealth medal

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Rajiv Ouseph closed in on a Commonwealth Games medal after two victories on Saturday helped England into the semi-finals of the mixed team event.

The Hounslow star, ranked number 27 in the world, beat 18-year-old Georges Paul of Mauritius 21-10, 21-8 in the morning’s final group stage match.

He then won his fourth rubber of the competition on Saturday evening, beating Sri Lanka’s Niluka Karunaratne 21-15, 21-16, easily his toughest test of the event so far.

England will face India in Sunday evening’s semi-final at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow after they defeated Canada.

Ouseph had played in the second rubber in England’s previous two victories but led off in the concluding match of the group phase against Mauritius.

But Paul, the world number 456, was no match for Ouseph, who completed a comfortable victory in 20 minutes.

England went on to complete their third whitewash of the group, after earlier 5-0 wins over Northern Ireland and Jersey.

However, Ouseph’s second match of the day, against world number 95 Karunaratne, proved to be a lot closer.

The 29-year-old, who carried Sri Lanka’s flag at the London 2012 Olympics, was the first top 100 opponent Ouseph faced in Glasgow and stretched him in both games.

However, Ouseph did just enough to outlast his opponent and needed two bites at match point before securing the win and putting England 2-0.

Their place in the final four was confirmed by Sarah Walker’s victory in the ladies singles rubber.

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