Veteran mixed doubles badminton star Nick Ponting is in line for a possible showdown with Olympic silver medalist Nathan Robertson and his partner Jenny Wallwork in the second round of the National Badminton Championships in Manchester this week.

The 42-year-old from Cheltenham will line up with team-mate Julie Bradbury, also 42 this month.

The pair are the team to beat on the over-40s circuit, having yet to lose a match together, but Ponting concedes this is going to be a more difficult task.

He said: "I'm not as fit as I used to be, so I imagine the second round will be a huge stumbling block for us. Nathan is a top professional, and his partner is only 21 so we're going to be in for a tough game – if we get there!"

Ponting and Bradbury must first overcome little-known opponents James Lauder and Alyssa Lim in the first round tomorrow.

Yet having won this tournament himself four times in a row between 1992 and 1995, Ponting has a huge amount of experience to draw on. He said: "We know that all the pressure is on our opponents, having little playing time together. And in badminton terms, Nathan is no spring chicken either!"