HAVING swapped university life for full-time training – only to lose her new doubles partner to injury – the second half of 2012 has proved challenging for Grimsby badminton player Alex Langley.
The 21-year-old admits she has endured a difficult time since moving to the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes following the completion of her studies at Leeds Metropolitan University.
She no longer plays women's doubles with Lauren Smith. She is now paired with Jenny Wallwork, but their time together on court has been minimal since her new partner picked up back then ankle injuries.
But former Humberston School pupil Langley – who also plays mixed doubles with Matt Nottingham – has turned a negative into a positive by working hard on her own game in the meantime.
As a result, she is confident that once Wallwork returns from the sidelines, they will both feel the benefit of an improved Langley when competition begins at the start of 2013.
"It has been a really difficult year actually," she admitted. "I moved down to Milton Keynes from Leeds Met University and changed partnership to Jenny.
"But she has been injured so we haven't had the chance to get on court and play together at any tournaments which has been tough. I've been able to focus on myself a lot though.
"I've been training and focusing on my own development areas and myself as a player rather than the pair. I've been playing a bit of mixed and that game has developed really well."
Langley's partnership with Smith saw them reach the second round of last year's World Championships, but they aren't alone in being split – several other English pairings indeed have been shuffled.
But Langley is happy to now be partnered by Wallwork, who until the summer played with Olympic silver medallist from 2004 Nathan Robertson in mixed doubles, and believes the duo can enjoy success in 2013.
"We just need to get some time on the court and I am confident we can do well together," added Langley – who has also been buoyed by the development of her mixed doubles partnership with Nottingham in Milton Keynes.
"I think we can be successful. The more we play together the better it will be. I am really happy with how my own game has progressed since moving to Milton Keynes.
"And Matt and I have been playing for a couple of years but we've been training in different places, so recently has been quite a new experience. It's almost felt like a new partnership to be honest because we're actually spending time together on court all the time now.
"Now we have been getting it together and that's been really good and so hopefully we can kick on and continue that in 2013."
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