Nicol-Rachel keep flag flying

NICOL David and Rachel Arnold are Malaysia's only hope for a medal at the World Doubles Championships in Manchester after reaching the women's doubles quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Although the Malaysian pair lost to Australians Sarah Cardwell and Christine Nunn 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 in their last group stage match, Nicol and Rachel squeezed into the last-eight on games countback as the Group C runners-up.

Nicol and Rachel set up a quarter-final meeting with England's Alison Waters and Jenny Duncalf where a win would assure them of a medal.

Rachel won a bronze at the last championships in 2016 in the women's doubles with her sister Delia.

But Wednesday was a tough day for Rachel who played three matches, and lost them all, including two in the mixed doubles.

Syafiq Kamal and Rachel were first beaten by defending champions Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal of India 11-7, 11-4 before going down 11-8, 11-4 to Peter Creed and Tesni Evans of Wales to extinguish their quarter-final hopes.

Men's doubles pair Nafiizwan Adnan and Ivan Yuen secured a consolation victory in their final group phase match but Syafiq and Ng Eain Yow fell to a third consecutive defeat.

Nafiizwan and Ivan defeated India's Vikram Malhotra and Mahesh Mangaonkar 11-8, 10-11, 11-8 in Group A while Australians Zac Alexander and David Palmer edged Syafiq and Eain Yow 11-10, 11-8 in Group C. Devinder Singh