# Nathan Robertson

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