Steve Isaac has teamed up with Martin Pallant, his coach from junior days.

It's all part of a bid to bring the national badminton title back to Sussex.

The 25-year-old from Worthing is the county's main hope for glory in the English National Championships which starts at the Triangle in Burgess Hill tomorrow.

But Isaac admits it might take more than a reunion with the man who guided him to the national junior title seven years ago to sustain his interest in a full-time career in the sport.

"I'm enjoying it at the moment, even though I've had a foot injury for most of this season. Training is good and I'm looking forward to the nationals," said Isaac.

"I'll play in the Swedish Open later this month and the All England Championships at the start of March, but then I will have to sit down and think about my future."

Apart from elite players like Jo Goode, the former Sussex player who has established herself in the world's top mixed doubles partnerships with Simon Archer, eking an existence out of what is still regarded as a minority sport is a constant struggle for British players outside the elite.

There is some funding from the sport's governing body thanks to the National Lottery, but Isaac will win only £1,000 if he can take the national title on Sunday night.

His parents took out a second mortgage to fund the early stages of his career and Isaac spent a year coaching and playing in Sweden where the sport has a much higher profile. This year he has been making regular trips to Hanover to play in the German League where he earns far more than he would on the domestic circuit.

He added: "The money thing wasn't too bad when I was single. But I got married last May and have to support a family now. I would have got a grant if I had been selected for the World Championships, but I was overlooked even though I was a Grand Slam finalist last year which I was very disappointed about.

"I have responsibilities now and I don't want to be in a position where I'm earning nothing."

The foot injury, which will require a cortisone injection next week, has restricted Isaac to just two ranking events this season and a few weeks ago he wasn't even going to enter the nationals.

But knowing a decision about his long-term future will have to be made soon seems to have helped him regain his appetite for competition, even though his views on the way the sport in this country is funded and organised, which remain private for now, are as trenchant as ever.

Littlehampton-based Pallant was in Isaac's corner when he lifted the national junior title in 1992 and he will be looking after him again for the next month as his career reaches its crossroads.

"I hadn't had much contact with Martin for a while," revealed Isaac.

"But he was a good player, can motivate me and is a friend as well. During the breaks in games you need someone who can calm you down and keep you focused.

"I feel better than I did a year ago when I was fit and doing quite well in the Grand Slams. I know I'll have to make a decision in the next few weeks and in a funny way it's helped take the pressure off a bit, I'm just going out and enjoying playing and training."

Isaac will be playing in the nationals for only the second time in five years and is hoping to avoid top seed Darren Hall - at least until the final.

Hall, who is aiming to win an unprecedented 11th title, beat him in the quarter-finals last year, but Isaac is relishing the prospect of a re-match.

"I wouldn't mind playing Darren," he said. "It's someone like Peter Knowles, who is playing the best of the top guys at the moment, who I'd want to avoid."

Isaac will surely carry on if he won the title. After all, Hall is 34 and reaching the end of his career so the opportunity is there for a younger player to take over his mantle as the country's No.1.

Sussex fans have been denied the chance to see Goode continue her domination of the doubles competitions.

Goode has been told to rest a herniated disc in her back for the next four weeks.

Play starts at 10am tomorrow and Saturday with the finals beginning at 5pm on Sunday.

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