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[ Robertson ] [ Kellogg ] [ Clark ] [ Cann ] [ Ouseph ]
Nathan on a new road
by Richard Eaton
 Nathan
Robertson, the winner of World, All-England, European and
Commonwealth mixed doubles titles, the man who used to
specialise in lurid hair styles, and the unpredictable talent
who still specialises in proving people wrong, is at it again.
Now that England's most successful player of the professional
era has reached the age of 31, you might have thought he would
baulk at taking on two new and simultaneous challenges, doubling
the number of matches he is likely to play, and possibly
multiplying the hassle by more than that.
But of course you'd be wrong - as is often the case when you try
to predict what this gifted, colourful, slightly maverick, and
very engaging champion might do.
Robertson has gone back to playing with his best mate,
Anthony Clark, in the men's doubles, and gone forward to
take on a new young partner in the mixed doubles, Jenny
Wallwork, in a bid to follow-up to the sensational successes
he had with the now retired Gail Emms.
Robertson and the experienced Clark have done so well in a short
time on the world circuit that they have already beaten six of
the world's top 20 and it should only a few weeks before they
are back in the top ten. It has made them strong favourites to
retain the national men's doubles title.
Robertson and the 21-year-old Wallwork have found it more
difficult – as they were almost bound to. But they are working
out a long-term plan to develop their partnership, and upon its
success their hopes of a national title depend.
Following this behind-the-scenes aim means that they are almost
an unknown quantity, for when Robertson and Wallwork start their
campaign as second seeds behind titleholders Clark and Donna
Kellogg it will be two and a half months since they played a
tournament.
“We played initial tournaments, reviewed them and have key areas
to work on,” explained Robertson. “So we took the decision to
make the All-England our next big tournament.
“We have given ourselves three months to get in the best shape
we can and put ourselves in contention. There was too much
uncertainty in what was happening on court. We had not really
done any training together.
 “I
played seven years with Gail (Emms). In the end things were
almost automatic. We knew what we had to work on. We knew if we
were not doing enough training.
“It's different now with a young partner. It's a bit more about
advising. I didn't have to advise Gail. We knew each other. So
the partnership with Jenny is different.
“She's getting advice on where to improve. We've targeted some
areas – fitness, speed on court. Next time against top players
we want to be quicker and faster and in better condition.”
It was always likely to be hard for Wallwork, or anyone for that
matter, to follow the successes of Emms, even though the retired
star is her mentor.
“It is definitely difficult for her,” acknowledges Robertson.
“It's almost a no-win situation. She's expected just to step
into Gail's shoes and be successful. It's not realistic to
expect her to start winning tournaments, because she's a
developing 21-year-old playing against world class pairs.”
Was he very mindful of all this?. “I am not mindful on court.
Myself and the coaches have put the plan in place, and
everything is done as a pair. It's not about her or me, it's
about a pair and what we are working towards. She realises that.
We are not picking on her. When we win, it's together, and if we
lose it's together as well.”
By contrast Robertson and Clark, who have always been close
friends, have dovetailed easily, perhaps even more easily than
when they were European silver medallists five years ago.
That maybe because their styles have evolved a little. “I was
really the net man and Anthony was around the back” Robertson
says. “Now his net game has improved incredibly well. And I am
able to work around the back, having played so much mixed
doubles.”
Early successes over several pairs in the world's top 20 have
made them ambitious for big titles. But ambitious for the
nationals?
“It's difficult when you get to the latter part of your career,”
Robertson admitted. “The nationals is a tournament which is a
really high priority when you are an up-and-coming player.”
There are quite a few of those. They could be saddled with a
test if they have a semi-final with third seeds Richard
Eidestedt and Andrew Ellis, currently England’s highest
world ranked pair, at 21.
The second seeds comprise another promising young player,
Chris Adcock, and the very experienced Robert Blair,
who is a fellow former world silver medallist with Clark. They
may face Chris Langridge and David Lindley in the
semi-finals.
So much will depend on how intense a focus Robertson and Clark
bring to the court. Clark seems to do that well: he is chasing
his eighth successive national men's doubles title.
And Robertson talks a determined tournament. “We will play
hard,” he insists. “Myself and Anthony, we want to defend the
title. We expect to win every match we play.”
[ Robertson ] [ Kellogg ] [ Clark ] [ Cann ] [ Ouseph ] |
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