Nathan James Robertson (born 30 May 1977) from Cotgrave in Nottinghamshire is a retired English badminton player who has achieved international success in both the men's events and the mixed doubles event. He was educated at Dayncourt School Specialist Sports College.

Career

2004 Robertson best results include winning gold at the 2004 European Championships in Geneva, and a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, both partnering Gail Emms in the mixed doubles. He has won six medals at the Commonwealth Games, and has won the last four men's doubles (with Anthony Clark) and the last two mixed doubles (with Gail Emms) at the English National Championships.

2004 Summer Olympics Robertson competed in badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics in men's doubles with partner Anthony Clark. They defeated Patapol Ngernsrisuk and Sudket Prapakamol of Thailand in the first round, then were defeated in the round of 16 by Eng Hian and Flandy Limpele of Indonesia, who had previously represented England for a brief period.

He also competed in mixed doubles with Emms. They had a bye in the first round and defeated Björn Siegemund and Nicol Pitro of Germany in the second. In the quarterfinals, Robertson and Emms beat Chen Qiqiu and Zhao Tingting of China 15–8, 17–15 to advance to the semifinals. There, they beat Jonas Rasmussen and Rikke Olsen of Denmark 15–6, 15–12. In the final, they lost to Chinese pair Zhang Jun and Gao Ling 1–15, 15–12, 12–15 to finish with the silver medal.

2005 World Championships At the 2005 World Championships, Robertson and Emms began the tournament as number 1 seeds. However, after getting a bye into the second round, he received an ankle injury during practice and they were forced to withdraw.

2006 The 2006 Commonwealth Games brought Robertson a silver in the team event and a gold in the mixed doubles with Emms.

The same year, he won the gold medal at the 2006 World Championships together with Emms. They beat Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg 21–15, 21–12 in the final.

2008 Beijing Games Robertson and Emms did well in their first match in the mixed doubles with a win over the Chinese pairing who were world number 2. The 2006 world champions took the first game 21–16 before Gao Ling and Zheng Bo hit back to win the second 21–16. The British duo found themselves 12–17 down in the decider only to show great powers of recovery to triumph 21–19. Along with his partner, Gail Emms, they lost out on a medal at the quarter final stage.

2009 World Championships Robertson was part of the English team forced to withdraw from the 2009 World Championships held in Hyderabad, India because of a terrorist threat.

Racket Nathan Robertson used the Carlton Fireblade Tour racket.

Retirement Nathan Robertson announced his retirement on 5 June 2012.

Achievements

Olympic Games Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2004 Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, Greece Gail Emms Zhang Jun Gao Ling 1–15, 15–12, 12–15 Silver

World Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1999 Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark Simon Archer Lee Dong-soo Yoo Yong-sung 11–15, 8–15 Bronze

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2006 Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid, Spain Gail Emms Anthony Clark Donna Kellogg 21–15, 21–12 Gold

Commonwealth Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Julian Robertson Cheah Soon Kit Yap Kim Hock 2–15, 15–12, 8–15 Bronze 2002 Bolton Arena, Manchester, England Anthony Clark Chang Kim Wai Choong Tan Fook 5–8, 3–7, 4–7 Bronze 2010 Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi, India Anthony Clark Koo Kien Keat Tan Boon Heong 19–21, 14–21 Silver

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Joanne Davies Simon Archer Joanne Goode 2–15, 5–15 Silver 2006 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia Gail Emms Daniel Shirley Sara Petersen 21–17, 21–10 Gold 2010 Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi, India Jenny Wallwork Koo Kien Keat Chin Eei Hui 20–22, 12–21 Silver

European Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Winter Sports Palace, Sofia, Bulgaria Julian Robertson Peter Axelsson Pär-Gunnar Jönsson 15–10, 10–15, 10–15 Bronze 2000 Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, Glasgow, Scotland Simon Archer Jens Eriksen Jesper Larsen 13–15, 15–7, 3–15 Bronze 2002 Baltiska Hallen, Malmö, Sweden Anthony Clark Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen 4–7, 7–1, 3–7, 7–2, 3–7 Silver 2004 Queue d’Arve Sport Center, Geneva, Switzerland Anthony Clark Jens Eriksen Martin Lundgaard Hansen 3–15, 9–15 Silver

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2002 Baltiska Hallen, Malmö, Sweden Gail Emms Jens Eriksen Mette Schjoldager 5–7, 3–7, 1–7 Silver 2004 Queue d’Arve Sport Center, Geneva, Switzerland Gail Emms Jonas Rasmussen Rikke Olsen 15–3, 8–15, 15–5 Gold 2008 Messecenter, Herning, Denmark Gail Emms Robert Mateusiak Nadieżda Kostiuczyk 21–14, 10–21, 6–21 Bronze 2010 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England Jenny Wallwork Robert Mateusiak Nadieżda Kostiuczyk 18–21, 21–18, 9–21 Bronze

World Junior Championships Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Gail Emms Zhang Wei Qiang Hong 14–17, 5–15 Bronze

BWF Superseries The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels are Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consists of twelve tournaments around the world that have been introduced since 2011. Successful players are invited to the Superseries Finals, which are held at the end of each year.

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2009 Singapore Open Anthony Clark Markis Kido Hendra Setiawan 21–12, 21–11 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2007 Malaysia Open Gail Emms Zheng Bo Gao Ling 12–21, 21–14, 15–21 Runner-up 2007 Denmark Open Gail Emms He Hanbin Yu Yang 17–21, 21–19, 17–21 Runner-up 2010 Denmark Open Jenny Wallwork Thomas Laybourn Kamilla Rytter Juhl 12–21, 21–12, 9–21 Runner-up BWF Superseries Finals tournament BWF Superseries Premier tournament BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) which was held from 2007 to 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix has been sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1998 Polish Open Julian Robertson Ian Pearson Nick Ponting 2–15, 15–8, 15–3 Winner 2004 Thailand Open Anthony Clark Luluk Hadiyanto Alvent Yulianto 12–15, 6–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2001 Dutch Open Gail Emms Chris Bruil Lotte Jonathans 7–5, 3–7, 7–3, 7–4 Winner 2001 Denmark Open Gail Emms Tri Kusharjanto Emma Ermawati 5–7, 1–7, 4–7 Runner-up 2002 Malaysia Open Gail Emms Wang Wei Zhang Yawen 11–9, 11–4 Winner 2002 Singapore Open Gail Emms Kim Dong-moon Ra Kyung-min 2–11, 10–13 Runner-up 2003 Thailand Open Gail Emms Chen Qiqiu Zhao Tingting 4–11, 11–8, 0–11 Runner-up 2003 Malaysia Open Gail Emms Kim Dong-moon Ra Kyung-min 6–15, 5–15 Runner-up 2004 Thailand Open Gail Emms Sudket Prapakamol Saralee Thungthongkam 8–15, 15–12, 15–11 Winner 2004 Denmark Open Gail Emms Chen Qiqiu Zhao Tingting 4–15, 11–15 Runner-up 2005 German Open Gail Emms Lee Jae-jin Lee Hyo-jung 12–15, 14–17 Runner-up 2005 All England Open Gail Emms Thomas Laybourn Kamilla Rytter Juhl 15–10, 15–12 Winner 2005 Swiss Open Gail Emms Nova Widianto Liliyana Natsir 17–14, 15–6 Winner 2005 Hong Kong Open Gail Emms Xie Zhongbo Zhang Yawen 8–15, 5–15 Runner-up 2005 China Open Gail Emms Lee Jae-jin Lee Hyo-jung 15–10, 15–10 Winner 2006 Swiss Open Gail Emms Robert Blair Natalie Munt 14–17, 15–7, 15–2 Winner 2006 All England Open Gail Emms Zhang Jun Gao Ling 15–12, 14–17, 1–15 Runner-up 2006 Singapore Open Gail Emms Nova Widianto Liliyana Natsir 16–21, 22–20, 21–23 Runner-up 2011 Swiss Open Jenny Wallwork Joachim Fischer Nielsen Christinna Pedersen 21–23, 14–21 Runner-up BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1995 Hungarian International Julian Robertson Harald Koch Jürgen Koch 15–18, 15–7, 15–13 Winner 1995 Welsh International Julian Robertson Andrey Antropov Nikolai Zuyev 8–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1996 Portugal International Steve Isaac James Anderson Ian Pearson 11–15, 5–15 Runner-up 1996 La Chaux-de-Fonds International Steve Isaac James Anderson Ian Pearson 12–15, 15–13, 15–17 Runner-up 1996 Norwegian International Julian Robertson Henrik Andersson Johan Tholinsson 9–2, 9–8, 9–3 Winner 1997 Norwegian International Julian Robertson Henrik Andersson Jens Olsson 4–9, 9–4, 9–2, 0–9, 9–4 Winner 2002 BMW Open International Anthony Clark Simon Archer Flandy Limpele 5–15, 14–17 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1995 Hungarian International Gail Emms Jürgen Koch Irina Serova 6–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1995 Irish International Gail Emms Julian Robertson Lorraine Cole 4–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1996 Portugal International Gail Emms James Anderson Emma Constable 12–15, 15–13, 18–13 Winner 1997 La Chaux-de-Fonds International Sara Hardaker Vladislav Druzchenko Marina Yakusheva 9–15, 15–3, 10–15 Runner-up 1997 Irish International Joanne Wright Henrik Andersson Jenny Karlsson 14–18, 15–11, 17–14 Winner 2002 BMW Open International Gail Emms Mathias Boe Rikke Olsen 11–9, 3–11, 11–9 Winner 2012 Swedish International Jenny Wallwork Mads Pieler Kolding Julie Houmann 21–17, 21–17 Winner 2012 Polish International Jenny Wallwork Ben Stawski Lauren Smith 21–15, 21–11 Winner 2013 Canadian International Jenny Wallwork Toby Ng Alex Bruce 21–9, 21–12 Winner BWF International Challenge tournament BWF/IBF International Series tournament

References

External links