Wimbledon’s Toby Penty has already beaten the reigning English champion this season and now he has his eyes firmly set on taking his title.

Penty will go into next month’s English National Badminton Championships ranked second in the country behind Rajiv Ouseph.

And the 23-year-old Birmingham Lions captain will be full of confidence having won all three of his AJ Bell National Badminton League games this season, including a 3-0 victory over 2015 national singles champion Sam Parsons.

His last AJ Bell NBL scalp came on Monday night against Team Derby, the University of Derby’s AJ Bell NBL franchise, when he recorded a straight games victory over Scotland Under-21 star Alex Dunn.

“I have come up short a couple of times at the National Championships and not made the final so I am hoping to do that this time around,” said Penty, on the English National Championships which will take place from February 5-7.

“I am playing well at the moment and I know I have it in me so I am looking forward to seeing how I get on.

“I have beaten Sam Parsons, who was the national champion last year, I have beaten Eric Pang, who made the quarter-finals of the World Championships, so I am beating very good players in the AJ Bell NBL and I have yet to be taken to a fifth set.

“So the AJ Bell NBL is giving me confidence and I can return to the University of Derby’s Sports Centre with winning memories.

“I train alongside the country’s best players every day so it is always good competition. “There are times where we beat each other but the reason why we are ranked where we are is because of how consistent we are.

“So with me being ranked number two in the country, I know I can get to the final and we will have to see if I can go one step further.”

Penty’s 9-8, 9-5, 9-6 win over Dunn at the University of Derby helped Birmingham Lions to a 3-2 tie-break win to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Birmingham Lions are currently second in the table with two group games remaining before the play-offs, when the top four will battle it out for the title.

Penty said: “I am really happy with the win. Our 100 per cent record is still there and it was probably the most dramatic 3-2 win we have had this season.

“Team Derby put on a great event and they put a lot of pressure on you so I am really happy to win it.

“To have the deciding game go down to a tie-break and in front of the Sky Sports cameras as well, everyone here have got their money’s worth. It is good for the sport and it is even better when you are on the winning side.”

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