I'm surprised there are no comments yet about Nathan Robertson's attitude during the 3rd set of the mixed final. I can appreciate the crushing disappointment of not closing the match out in the 2nd set, but he is a professional sportsman and in my opinion to not try in the way he did is unforgiveable. Whether he likes it or not, he is a role model for many children here and I think we can do without anyone copying that! Everyone I was with thought the same, as well as a few people who watched on TV. I really felt sorry for Emms towards the end of the match. It was such a shame as well, as the first 2 sets had been extremely close and competitive, while the 3rd set spoilt it. And before anyone says...I wanted Zhang/Gao to win as I have never liked Robertson!

Contrast Robertson's attitude with Lin Dan and his never say die attitude in the semi vs LCW. I have never been Lin Dan's greatest fan, but I am warming more to him over time. He is a character and we need characters like him in the game.

What does everyone else think?

what a pity. He is great talence. When at his peak, Robertson and Ems is very delight to watch. How can he refuse to play, in his home ground :confused:

Please say what happened? Did he stopped playing? I had left the NIA by then as I had a long drive home.

wl,

basically in the final game he didn't even try to win the rallies, leaving gail to do the work and the back and not moving for shuttles even some easy ones. they were 14-0 down in about 5 mins. when they actually won one point he licked his finger and pointed in the air like he had won the game.

his behaviour was unprofessional at the very best, and at worst insulting to his the crowd who had cheered him throughout the tournament (me not included) and opponents-although am sure they didn't mind! :D

It was very very disappointing to watch to say the least. After their amazing come back on Friday and a relatively easy game on Saturday, everyone in the audience was gutted. Especially after the FIVE failed match points. Somehow I knew Emms/Robertson wouldn't win after losing that 2nd game. I went to get a burger and came back to my seat to find they were already 4-0 down! Arrghh! They (well Robertson) just gave up in the third game

wl,

basically in the final game he didn't even try to win the rallies, leaving gail to do the work and the back and not moving for shuttles even some easy ones. they were 14-0 down in about 5 mins. when they actually won one point he licked his finger and pointed in the air like he had won the game.

his behaviour was unprofessional at the very best, and at worst insulting to his the crowd who had cheered him throughout the tournament (me not included) and opponents-although am sure they didn't mind! :D

In other words, Robertson sees himself a lot bigger than he actually is :D

That's really a shame. :( Especially with the home crowd, a real let down.

i REALLY want to see this....BADLY! lol

But isn't this typical Nathan behaviour? When things aren't going as they should, he often seems to go into this "couldn't-care-less-and-I'd-rather-be-somewhere-else" mode. He's always had this problem, IMHO.

Of course, behaving like this in an All England final is pretty grave. He's an extremely talented player, but no champ in my book. :mad:

Hasn't there been any comments or interviews in British press about this? Has Nathan said anything to his defense?

I can't agree more Mag, he has always been like this, and we have commented on it before. It is just an excuse for me to moan about it more!:)

In the paper today I read he said that he was mentally tired from being so close to winning, and when you are metally tired the body cannot work either.

He never has and never will be a real champion. I am so proud of Gao & Zhang they won, and showed the strength to break them and win gracefully. They have won Everything there is too win and still try there hardest. true champions in my mind.

havent seen the video yet but sad to hear such a let down by nathan when ENG has equal chance to win on the decider game. Quitting so close to winning is really really sad. If i see my partner is still trying her best, i would change my atittude around and go for it.

Could LWW/CTF lose to the Danes for the same reason.....mentally "burn-out" ? The 21 points system will serve those mentally "burn-outers" very well and give little chances to those mentally "strong" players :p

havent seen the video yet but sad to hear such a let down by nathan when ENG has equal chance to win on the decider game. Quitting so close to winning is really really sad. If i see my partner is still trying her best, i would change my atittude around and go for it.

me too, haven't seen the video. but sighhh...I always believe in "going down fighting" I'm sad for Emms.

This sounds really bad. He might has a champion's skill, but surely does not have the heart... :(

they were 14-0 down in about 5 mins. when they actually won one point he licked his finger and pointed in the air like he had won the game.

his behaviour was unprofessional at the very best, and at worst insulting to his the crowd who had cheered him throughout the tournament (me not included) and opponents-although am sure they didn't mind! :D
eh, didn't see that one?! must have been sickening to behold, though..

and yeah, the crowd was really very supportive of the pair, and for him to give up the match without so much as a thought for his partner or himself .. dissapointment was really heavy in the crowd by the end of it all, much less cheering than when the british pair were on course in the 2nd game.

I always thought that the pairing are only as good as they are because of Gail. Its always Nathan who is making the mistakes and quite often its Gail who is carrying the team.

Also did you see Nathan get a yellow card on semis day, for breaking his racket against his foot?

Again on match point in the final 14-1 day he got flicked served and just hit a clear high up as thought he couldn't be bothered. Although im surprised he actually hit it because the last few shots that went anywhere near the back he left and they were in. Sure he was tired but he could have looked like he cared. Its okay to lose but to lose in such a fashion, as though it was a joke, was not on.

Maybe Gail should give Clark or Blair a call :D

I always thought that the pairing are only as good as they are because of Gail. Its always Nathan who is making the mistakes and quite often its Gail who is carrying the team.

Also did you see Nathan get a yellow card on semis day, for breaking his racket against his foot?

Again on match point in the final 14-1 day he got flicked served and just hit a clear high up as thought he couldn't be bothered. Although im surprised he actually hit it because the last few shots that went anywhere near the back he left and they were in. Sure he was tired but he could have looked like he cared. Its okay to lose but to lose in such a fashion, as though it was a joke, was not on.

i found it embarrassing to watch, if i was gail i would have gotten quite annoyed with nathan and told him what for;)

i found it embarrassing to watch, if i was gail i would have gotten quite annoyed with nathan and told him what for;)

Yeah. If I was Gail I think I might have walked off!!! Coz you wouldn't expect your partner to treat you like that after they've done so well:mad:

Yeah. If I was Gail I think I might have walked off!!! Coz you wouldn't expect your partner to treat you like that after they've done so well:mad:

i guess you could describe what nathan did as childish... i've seen a fair few people do it at junior tournaments :rolleyes:

I always thought that the pairing are only as good as they are because of Gail. Its always Nathan who is making the mistakes and quite often its Gail who is carrying the team.

Also did you see Nathan get a yellow card on semis day, for breaking his racket against his foot?

Again on match point in the final 14-1 day he got flicked served and just hit a clear high up as thought he couldn't be bothered. Although im surprised he actually hit it because the last few shots that went anywhere near the back he left and they were in. Sure he was tired but he could have looked like he cared. Its okay to lose but to lose in such a fashion, as though it was a joke, was not on.


yea, it's a bad treatment to gail when nathan intentionally lift on the last flick serve which guarantee a bullet return shot for the unprepared gail.

yea, it's a bad treatment to gail when nathan intentionally lift on the last flick serve which guarantee a bullet return shot for the unprepared gail.

i didn't see that, i had almost lost interest by then. doing that is just totally out of order to set up a smash which you know that your parnter will not return. if i did it i doubt my partner would want to play with me again

i found it embarrassing to watch, if i was gail i would have gotten quite annoyed with nathan and told him what for;)

strangely, when things are going Nathan's way, it is always Gail who gets blamed when she makes a mistake. nowadays, whenever Gail makes a mistake, she immediate say sorry to calm Nathan down. but yet when Nathan doesn't feel like it, he just gives up the whole match.

i agree with the suggestion, Blair/Emms will form quite a good pair, i think.

perhaps it is time for the English supporters to send BadmintonEngland (BAofE) a mail?

On the subject of the flick serve. Zhang Jun realised Nathan had given up so kept flick serving to him, one time he didn't move. The occasion we are talking about was simply as he can't move back to hit flat or down so hit a high clear. Nathans big weakness is not being able to move back when in midcourt position or flick serve.


Kwun: I don't think thisould work. They (emms/robertson)can still be in top 5 by getting to QF/SF/Finals and not winning the big tournaments, and BE are happy with this (they get their results), and Nathan/gail happy as they get their funding (although maybe not happy to lose, I don't know but nathan is obviousley happy to lose).

Can Blair/Emms stay in top 5 comfortably or at least make an improvement on NR/GE pairing?I think it will be hard for badminton England to justify a split, as if a new pairing do not at least match NR/GE results (ie at least 1 AE victory) then they will be flamed. They are both approaching 30, so little chance to change much now.

Only chance to change is if Either NR or GE request to split, which I can't see happening either at their stage of play.

strangely, when things are going Nathan's way, it is always Gail who gets blamed when she makes a mistake. nowadays, whenever Gail makes a mistake, she immediate say sorry to calm Nathan down. but yet when Nathan doesn't feel like it, he just gives up the whole match.

i agree with the suggestion, Blair/Emms will form quite a good pair, i think.

perhaps it is time for the English supporters to send BadmintonEngland (BAofE) a mail?

i think it is time to see a new male playing at world class standard for england. most of the england players are reaching a fair old age now and should be thinking of retirement fairly soon. as for gail i still think she is the best or second best female mixed player in the world so she should definetely keep playing for the time being. she should find a new partner who is younger perhaps between 23-27 age group and they should start to build a partnership from there. it's just a shame that there aren't many younger players which are upto the high standard.

i think it is time to see a new male playing at world class standard for england. most of the england players are reaching a fair old age now and should be thinking of retirement fairly soon. as for gail i still think she is the best or second best female mixed player in the world so she should definetely keep playing for the time being. she should find a new partner who is younger perhaps between 23-27 age group and they should start to build a partnership from there. it's just a shame that there aren't many younger players which are upto the high standard.

Gail don't forget is also 28, the same age as Nathan and having a partner with a big age difference is not ideal because the partnership is not likely to last long, as one of the players will have to retire sooner. Also the younger players need time to develop.

Nathan is skills-wise still one of the best doubles players in the world, its just he needs to sort out his attitude. Also i'm sure that England will produce world class mixed pairs in the near future as traditionally England has been very strong in this event. What England really need to produce [slightly off-topic]is some world class singles players and I think the coaching setup needs to be revised in order for this to happen

Gail don't forget is also 28, the same age as Nathan and having a partner with a big age difference is not ideal because the partnership is not likely to last long, as one of the players will have to retire sooner. Also the younger players need time to develop.

Nathan is skills-wise still one of the best doubles players in the world, its just he needs to sort out his attitude. Also i'm sure that England will produce world class mixed pairs in the near future as traditionally England has been very strong in this event. What England really need to produce [slightly off-topic]is some world class singles players and I think the coaching setup needs to be revised in order for this to happen

i say send players off to live at the NBC when they are 12, they can recieve hard training every day and it would benefit england's badminton sooo much. (it's what they do in china)

i say send players off to live at the NBC when they are 12, they can recieve hard training every day and it would benefit england's badminton sooo much. (it's what they do in china)

but the problem is the coaching at the NBC is not actually that good. If you ask the top players from the counties where they would prefer to train, the NBC or their own county, they would choose their own back yard any time

but the problem is the coaching at the NBC is not actually that good. If you ask the top players from the counties where they would prefer to train, the NBC or their own county, they would choose their own back yard any time

i've never actually been to the NBC, are the facilities good (i guess they should be). if we were to go to the NBC for training we would have the surrey U13 coach anyway:p

This thread is strarting to diverge into the BE setup, if you wish to discuss this, then please start a new thread, it actually hasn't been discussed too much before.

This thread is strarting to diverge into the BE setup, if you wish to discuss this, then please start a new thread, it actually hasn't been discussed too much before.

i'm trying not to get off topic but the BE setup would be too wider area to start a new thread. you would need to go into a certain area of the setup

I understand, set one up then! Thats what we are here for.

I understand, set one up then! Thats what we are here for.

i have set one up, it is called "badminton england training setup?" and is in forums under proffesional players. now lets get back to the topic:D . who would you say dominated the net in the final? in my opinion it was gail but it was very close between her and gao ling

Actually Simon Archer has expressed that he wants to continue for a while. I reckon he is more hungry and determined than Nathan Robertson, even though he is a bit older. I can see Archer and Emms doing no worse than the current pairing, as Emms game is now a lot more stable. Archer has more fire, both power and within, just don't know if the body will hold.

Actually Simon Archer has expressed that he wants to continue for a while. I reckon he is more hungry and determined than Nathan Robertson, even though he is a bit older. I can see Archer and Emms doing no worse than the current pairing, as Emms game is now a lot more stable. Archer has more fire, both power and within, just don't know if the body will hold.

just what the partnership needs, gail has just improved her defence dramatically so if simon has fire and power it will be a perfect combination. maybe one of them are members here and will take our advice:rolleyes: :rolleyes: ;)

Archer/Emms already been and gone. Yes Archer has fire, and is still a very good player accurate, fairly consistent and good tactically, but no where near the level that gail requires. and i dont think they would no reach the level NR/GE have at present (IMHO)

Gail dominated the net. Gao actually played a very poor final by her standards, many missed chances to kill, and even more oppurtunities to seize advantage. The game was won in the mid and rearcourt however, as Zhang Jun played very good tactically forcing Emms to the back often, and with far better defence than Nathan, and played his attacking shot with good effect (although not at his most powerful). Gao rarely finished the rallies at all, unlike Gail who finished off most of ENG pairs chances. It was a very intriguing game, and a sign of a great pair that when Gao played poorly, Zhang covered her as many times gao has covered Zhangs mistakes bad days.

Hi Everyone!!

I know Nathans reactions very well as I´ve played him both as a junior and senior. He always seem play best when he is trying to prove someone is wrong about him. He should actually read this thread as it might fire him up to prove all of you guys wrong.

I agree that it´s disrespectful towards Gail not to fight in the 3rd set.

He has a sense for the drama and he might make it look like he doesn´t care, but be sure he does. I think he felt appalled not to win one of the 5 matchpoints and was simple overwhelmed to have to play another set to win. It also gives the chinese great confidence to take the second set practically having lost it. Even though, this is no excuse for giving up.

Kind regards

Jonas

Hi Everyone!!

I know Nathans reactions very well as I´ve played him both as a junior and senior. He always seem play best when he is trying to prove someone is wrong about him. He should actually read this thread as it might fire him up to prove all of you guys wrong.

I agree that it´s disrespectful towards Gail not to fight in the 3rd set.

He has a sense for the drama and he might make it look like he doesn´t care, but be sure he does. I think he felt appalled not to win one of the 5 matchpoints and was simple overwhelmed to have to play another set to win. It also gives the chinese great confidence to take the second set practically having lost it. Even though, this is no excuse for giving up.

Kind regards

Jonas

it just looked like he had given up from his body language, when i have let a game go to the 3rd set then i sometimes lose it very quickly

I've skimmed quickly through this thread reading the majority of replies.

I think while maybe Nathan's attempt at the third set was half-hearted, I disagree with blaming him so directly...

Nathan always IMO seems to play with emotion, he's disappointed if he loses a set, makes a bad shot, etc. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It could be that sometimes, that's what pushes him to try harder. Also, with respect to the fact he is a professional, he's still human :rolleyes:. I always try to play my best but sometimes, if I'm just having a bad day or playing poorly, I do get discouraged and then it gets harder and harder to take control of the situation and back to a reasonable form, I don't see why it's so different with 'professionals'...I know they're supposed to be above that, but I'm sure there's a certain point where it will still definately bother them. I've seen plenty of doubles/mixed doubles pairs not working well together, or playing half-hearted, I believe they just don't show it as obviously as Nathan does.

It's a shame for Gail, I agree, and the fans, but, as I say when I lose, there's always a next time :p. I definately think they should stick together, most of the time they're on form, and when they are, they're one of my favourite things to watch.

nathan should change his attitude, he shouldnt have just given up, if its a no-bearing game then maybe but for crying out loud its the AE XD finals.

I don't see why it's so different with 'professionals'


Because that is what they are paid to do (actually taxpayers pay part of their wages since the funding comes from governemtn sources mainly). If you went to a hairdresser and asked for them to cut your hair, then then did two thirds of it a good job, then left one third of it ragged and unsatisfactory, then you would think their behaviour unprofessional, not pay them, and not go there again.

I understand your point that some criticism is harsh, and that they do have succes (they reached the final afterall), but the criticism is mainly aimed not at them losing directly, but at the manner in which there was a total loss of interest, not even a glimmer of effort in the final game from him.

yup, nathan should have lost with guns blazing, not giving the championship on a silver plater.

hiya guys,

well i train down at milton keynes every tuesday so yesterday whilts i was down i was talking to many of the england squad who were also training. robertson and emms have been given some time off due to exhaustion and also gail has got a cold. as for nathans commitment in thel ast game, no one is sure what happened as he has kept himself away since the final. listening to what everyone else has to say it seems he was simply exhausted and bitterly dissapointed at not closing the second game - however this doesnt excuse his behaviour in the 3rd game. exhausted - yeah i can understand that but you should be at least trying to win. its the all england final for gods sake.

when i nest see him while im down there ill get an answer!

yup, nathan should have lost with guns blazing, not giving the championship on a silver plater.

I agree...is it just me though, that while I think Nathan is a *greatly* talented player, it's just, This particular tournament, I thought he played poorly through it all. I can only say what I've seen from a video of their Quarter Final match, but I thought Gail Emms was on usual (top) form, while Nathan was making lots of uncharacteristic mistakes, hitting the net too often, possibly adding to his overall frustration.

- Again, this is only my opinion! :), just interested in seeing if anyone else feels the same way or otherwise.

Also, the only response from Nathan I know of is on Badmintonengland.co.uk's site,

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "We threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. We didn't play to the level of the last two days."

Which still, obviously doesn't explain the last set, though.

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "We threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. We didn't play to the level of the last two days."

it should be:

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "I threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."
:D:D

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "We threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. We didn't play to the level of the last two days."

it should be:

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "I threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."
:D:D

Hehe :D true he shouldn't blame Gail for his own throwing away the match...

I always thought that the pairing are only as good as they are because of Gail. Its always Nathan who is making the mistakes and quite often its Gail who is carrying the team.

Also did you see Nathan get a yellow card on semis day, for breaking his racket against his foot?

Again on match point in the final 14-1 day he got flicked served and just hit a clear high up as thought he couldn't be bothered. Although im surprised he actually hit it because the last few shots that went anywhere near the back he left and they were in. Sure he was tired but he could have looked like he cared. Its okay to lose but to lose in such a fashion, as though it was a joke, was not on.

Hi,

It was Nova Widianto who was yellow carded and for the reasons given. Little point adding insult to injury!

Mr. Fault

Little point adding insult to injury!

It might be my english but I didn't understand what you meant here... :confused:

It might be my english but I didn't understand what you meant here... :confused:

it's a saying, i think it means like don't add things to make matters worse

it's a saying, i think it means like don't add things to make matters worse

OK thanks, it's clearer said like that. :D

Anyway, breaking a racket isn't a big deal, as long as he doesn't smash it against somebody else, who cares? it's his own problem... :rolleyes: ;)
(as long as he doesn't do this in order to delay the game)

i'm going to agree ith JR on this one.. while it's horribly disappointing to see arguably the best pair it the world throw the last set away. didn't the malaysian pair lose to 2 in their final set in the MD? the difference? the malaysians looked like the played..

Nathan's entire playing style is a relaxed one. he never looks really bothered, even when he's winning - but he show's fire and passion when he wins points, especially good ones.

Nathan didn't look on top form all tournament gail was ill during.. it wouldn't surprise me if nathan has caught it.. hence both the englands players exhaustion after what has been a physical, mental and emotional rollercoaster.

Give them a break - how many pairs do you know have defended the XD AE title recently?

Coops

well having just watched the final again, i think we should lay off nathan. he was clearly tired and fatigued - i doubt very much knowing nathan that he would just throw it away. he isnt like that at all. obviously the second game affected them as they were so close but credit to the chinese - they defended awsomely and got their rewards. lets not forget that nathan and gail are still top class players - and even they lose, we are only human afterall. rather than criticise them maybe we should just support them and encourage them thru this difficult time so they can forget about it and move on to the next competition.

well having just watched the final again, i think we should lay off nathan. he was clearly tired and fatigued - i doubt very much knowing nathan that he would just throw it away. he isnt like that at all. obviously the second game affected them as they were so close but credit to the chinese - they defended awsomely and got their rewards. lets not forget that nathan and gail are still top class players - and even they lose, we are only human afterall. rather than criticise them maybe we should just support them and encourage them thru this difficult time so they can forget about it and move on to the next competition.

i agree because everyone has forgotten to take into account who they were playing, ZHANG JEN and GAO LING!! they aren't exactly bad players put it that way. when they saw that nathan was tired they started to move him around to make him more tired, by this point the lactic acid levels must have been almost unbearable and this is what would have caused the onset of fatigue

good point, nathan looked exhausted. gail started to move to the back to help him out and once that happened england were never going to win it, they were trying to play for pride in the end and getting the point meant they wernt beat to nil. they will bounce back from this and i can assure you they will be back in next years final.

good point, nathan looked exhausted. gail started to move to the back to help him out and once that happened england were never going to win it, they were trying to play for pride in the end and getting the point meant they wernt beat to nil. they will bounce back from this and i can assure you they will be back in next years final.

i take back what i said about gail should find a new younger partner because she will never find someone who she knows and plays so well with

If the excuse was that nathan was tired, then it is BE fault as they are responsible for making sure he is in shape to win. Whilst he may have been tired, it is clear he was not interested in playing.

In the first two and a half games they were looking the best I have seen them, with less mistakes. then CHN came back with some superb play, and they (he) was broken mentally.

SPaterson, they as a pair tend to make lots of unforced errors in every game they play, then play fantastic. I remember the final last year was quite poor in standard as both pairs made lots of errors. Likewise this years semi final against INA pair lots of errors from both sides. They struggle against pairs who are consistent in their play throughout, like Gao/Zhang and Xie/Zhang in the QF, who never had a dip, but never rose high enough to break them, always giving them hope.

james - i see your point but put it like this,


place your self in a final of a tourney where everyone is expecting you to win. then lose 5 set points in the second game due to superb defense from your opponents and after many gruelling rallies to try and win the win the game - you lose. i know id be mentally frustrated and you will be tired. they just wernt with it in the final game - it happens to everyone regardless of their level of play.

as for blaming badminton england - lets not forget it was only 2 weeks ago that our beloved mixed pair won the danish open. how can you expect to recover from a major tourney and prepare for another in 2 weeks? it isnt possible. they did their best and were beaten by the better / fresher pair on the day.

If the excuse was that nathan was tired, then it is BE fault as they are responsible for making sure he is in shape to win. Whilst he may have been tired, it is clear he was not interested in playing.

In the first two and a half games they were looking the best I have seen them, with less mistakes. then CHN came back with some superb play, and they (he) was broken mentally.

SPaterson, they as a pair tend to make lots of unforced errors in every game they play, then play fantastic. I remember the final last year was quite poor in standard as both pairs made lots of errors. Likewise this years semi final against INA pair lots of errors from both sides. They struggle against pairs who are consistent in their play throughout, like Gao/Zhang and Xie/Zhang in the QF, who never had a dip, but never rose high enough to break them, always giving them hope.

at the standard of play which they are surely most of the unforced errors are because they are going to be put under pressure by their opposition?

no not really, unforced errors are where you arnt under any pressure and you have time to hit your shot but you mess it up such as putting smashes out or in the net, or net killing and missing it, serving short or in to net etc. we all do them really.

james - i see your point but put it like this,


place your self in a final of a tourney where everyone is expecting you to win. then lose 5 set points in the second game due to superb defense from your opponents and after many gruelling rallies to try and win the win the game - you lose. i know id be mentally frustrated and you will be tired. they just wernt with it in the final game - it happens to everyone regardless of their level of play.

as for blaming badminton england - lets not forget it was only 2 weeks ago that our beloved mixed pair won the danish open. how can you expect to recover from a major tourney and prepare for another in 2 weeks? it isnt possible. they did their best and were beaten by the better / fresher pair on the day.

For not able to be 100% fit and fresh cause the British pair just won a title 2 weeks ago is not an excuse.

Zhang/Gao just won German Open title a week ago with Gao Ling also play Women Doubles in German Open final. Then they fly straight to All England , enter this tournament.

Zhang/Gao managed to get into final and win it. Gao also play Women Doubles and win the title as well with Huang Sui.

I don't think the endurance of the British pair is an ssue here but the mental strength is the major issue for the Brit. (In this case Nathan)

Fatigue definitely doesn't excuse his behaviour. Although I may be a hypocrite in singles and give up due to 'exhaustion', I (Among many others) would never let my partner down, whether it be mixed or doubles. If your partner is giving it their all, you better do the same.

How hard do they make the players train at the NBC, because they might have worked Nathan too hard in the run-up to the tournament. I remember in a recent tournament at Wimbledon the european junior champion Rajiv Ouseph had to pull out as he fainted earlier in the week because the England coaches worked him so hard. Also a lot of players at the NBC are coming out injured after training there so I wonder if they work the players too hard there and Nathan was fatigued as a result of this.

I do wonder about nathan's fitness compared with other players on the circuit. There is only him that has this obvious laid back style altho he uses his height and reach to great effect and can dig up the shuttle when he needs to.

but when he was on super stars he really struggled.. i know this isn't quite the same, and it could have just been that he wasn't bothered.. but he came last in the cycling uphill.. i thought badminton players in general had decent stamina and good lowerbody strength? i don't think he won any events at all.

i mean don't get me wrong - he's the greatest thing that's happened to english badminton since simon archer, and i'd imagine he'll be going for a while yet. but i do think he needs to work on his fitness. his racquet skills and general gameplay and strategy are world class, even his mental games with the opponent are pretty gd - i mean - if ur losing to somebody who doesn't appear to be trying how mindbending can that be. i mean - i know when i play against people that don't look like they can be arsed it can be pretty infectious.

Coops

How hard do they make the players train at the NBC, because they might have worked Nathan too hard in the run-up to the tournament. I remember in a recent tournament at Wimbledon the european junior champion Rajiv Ouseph had to pull out as he fainted earlier in the week because the England coaches worked him so hard. Also a lot of players at the NBC are coming out injured after training there so I wonder if they work the players too hard there and Nathan was fatigued as a result of this.

i'm not sure how hard the training is but it doesn't really matter how hard it is. as long as a player doesn't get put straight into the way to hard training for them, the hardness should be built up of a period of time

lets not forget it was only 2 weeks ago that our beloved mixed pair won the danish open. how can you expect to recover from a major tourney and prepare for another in 2 weeks? it isnt possible.

As others have said Gao/Zhang won last week, and gao played WD too. Also it was the swiss open-not exactly a major tournament, and if this is the excuse, they why were they peaking for the swiss open with the AE so close?

Finally I think I have made it clear they are not my beloved pair. I support the badminton not the players.

As others have said Gao/Zhang won last week, and gao played WD too. Also it was the swiss open-not exactly a major tournament, and if this is the excuse, they why were they peaking for the swiss open with the AE so close?

Finally I think I have made it clear they are not my beloved pair. I support the badminton not the players.

it just would be nice to see england take a title insead of china again:p

I like people to win who deserve it. Actully I think the players who won AE this year did deserve it. Lin Dan played some tough players throughout the tournament, DEN MD pair played consistent badminmton against young fresh and taleted opponents, Gao/Huang didn't struggle against any of their pairs except Zhag/Yang, XXF is clearly better than any other WS, and Gao/Zhang came through a very strong looking ENG pair playing well. I am not taking much away from ENG, they played the best I have seen and for most of the game (timewise) they were very focussed.

it just would be nice to see england take a title insead of china again:p

it is a hard lesson must be learnt by the ENG pair. They would have won it if they have stay the course onto their decider. When gao ling put her foot down, u better come stomping as well or she'll eat u whole. :D


Let me point out a key ingredient of china comeback not recognized by the ENG team. While battling hard to come back, when china felt they have the chance of a come back, u should look at gao ling face, it went from very expressive mood shown in previous 2.5 games to a completely emotionless poker face, ie she's putting her foot down. Nathan return serve hit the net, gail return serve hit the net. Gao is a coffin nailer.

Same thing happened in 2005 sudirman cup. Gao nailed the INA in the longest rally that i have ever witnessed, breaking the indo's spirit. Gao's poker face made the indo guy serve into the net. And lastly, gao finish the INA pair with a stake into indo's hearts from unleashing her perfect flick serve.


Gao Ling the giggling undertaker in disguise ;)




:cool:er

Gao Ling the giggling undertaker in disguise ;)


She/They are champions through and through. No higher praise can be given of them/her. the titles speak for themselves. In WD maybe there isn't the competition, but they didn't beat KDM/RKM in two Major championship finals for nothing.(OG 2000 at young age, and WC2001)

They should have won. No excuse for them after having 5 match points. Fatigue and tiredness don't matter at that point. It is all mental game at such high level.

They should have won. No excuse for them after having 5 match points. Fatigue and tiredness don't matter at that point. It is all mental game at such high level.

did the ENG pair make any unforced errors when they had a matchpoint? i can't really remember

yes they should have won but credit to the chinese for defending so well and turning it around. nathan and gail will bounce back.

I started a conversation about this on another forum and it seems to have gone in a similar way to this. I am very critical of his performance and said so but I dont like the way people are picking on the man instead of his performance on that day which is a very different thing. I mentioned the idea of BE sending another partner as a kick up the arse to him to make him realise that he needs to constantly perform instead of being the closest thing we have to a badminton media darling in this country and being untouchable. A brief conversation with someone who knows all the players games well enough brought up two things. 1) Robert Blair would be an equal (if not better) partner for GE and 2) No one really gives him a kick up the arse to make him train fitness off court as opposed to a bit of mixed routines since giving up mens doubles. This is not my opinion but the opinion of someone who knows the players better than any of us. I would suggest people lay off the character assault, that's not what a forum is about.

I'm surprised there are no comments yet about Nathan Robertson's attitude during the 3rd set of the mixed final. I can appreciate the crushing disappointment of not closing the match out in the 2nd set, but he is a professional sportsman and in my opinion to not try in the way he did is unforgiveable. Whether he likes it or not, he is a role model for many children here and I think we can do without anyone copying that! Everyone I was with thought the same, as well as a few people who watched on TV. I really felt sorry for Emms towards the end of the match. It was such a shame as well, as the first 2 sets had been extremely close and competitive, while the 3rd set spoilt it. And before anyone says...I wanted Zhang/Gao to win as I have never liked Robertson!

Contrast Robertson's attitude with Lin Dan and his never say die attitude in the semi vs LCW. I have never been Lin Dan's greatest fan, but I am warming more to him over time. He is a character and we need characters like him in the game.

What does everyone else think?


it was not just the 3rd if you taped it rewatch from the last few points of the 2 game, he stopped smashing everything from then and thats when the game changed for them. up until then, from the back most of what he did was smash it. he seemed like he was done for like he hit a wall. like they said b4 the macth he hurt his ankle b4 and has not been doing alot of training so his fitness was short of what it should be.

yes his attitude did seem to go down hill, but this might just be a outward view and not be a true view of how the player is feeling. from this point on he only seemed to smash if he really had to and start playing alot more at the front, i dont know why when they had the break b4 the last game they should of thought of changing around position as you could tell he was done 4. he might have done better just being at the front then at least might have been more of a fight.

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "We threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. We didn't play to the level of the last two days."

it should be:

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "I threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."
:D:D

You win as a pair you lose as a pair

You win as a pair you lose as a pair

yup i agree, like if the both of you were tired, exhausted, etc. then yes you could say WE, but if only one player was tired, exhausted, etc. and the other one was playing great and awesome then it should have been I. i mean if i was nathan i would probably accept and tell everybody that i made the most errors and that im tired and exhausted. 'cuz i know im the reason why we lost.
anyway IF i was nathan, but im not:D

yup i agree, like if the both of you were tired, exhausted, etc. then yes you could say WE, but if only one player was tired, exhausted, etc. and the other one was playing great and awesome then it should have been I. i mean if i was nathan i would probably accept and tell everybody that i made the most errors and that im tired and exhausted. 'cuz i know im the reason why we lost.
anyway IF i was nathan, but im not:D

but the 5 matches points they had where not all of his points lost they where both of them.

i was refering to the 3rd set. i totally agree with what you said "You win as a pair you lose as a pair". if my partner was the reason for our lost, ill accept it b'cuz we are partners but if im the reason for our loss then i accept it and acknowledge it. anyway, maybe its how nathan is with gail, i mean its all good between them, and its ok with gail if nathan used the word WE, maybe i was just upset in his performance in the AE. i was just releasing my anger and making fun at his statement.

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "We threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. We didn't play to the level of the last two days."

it should be:

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "I threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."
:D:D


im ok now:D

it should be:

"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "I threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."
:D:D

i think the statement should have been:
"The England pair had beaten their Chinese rivals on all three occasions since the Olympics but Robertson summed it up when he said: "we threw it away. When you have five match points you ought to win. but i threw it away in the 3rd game due to physical exhaustion. I didn't play to the level of the last two days."

I'm surprised there are no comments yet about Nathan Robertson's attitude during the 3rd set of the mixed final.

I just saw this game and I do not feel Nathan should be reprimanded for his performance. It's clear he had no energy. He was tired and did the best that could given the circumstances. Have you ever played when you are running on empty? If so, you would play just like Nathan did or worse or even stop because you can't go on. Your facial expressions and gestures would reflect that as well.

So, I do not think Nathan just gave up. I feel he was exhausted and that's all he could muster up.

That's what I saw. :)

I just saw this game and I do not feel Nathan should be reprimanded for his performance. It's clear he had no energy. He was tired and did the best that could given the circumstances. Have you ever played when you are running on empty? If so, you would play just like Nathan did or worse or even stop because you can't go on. Your facial expressions and gestures would reflect that as well.

So, I do not think Nathan just gave up. I feel he was exhausted and that's all he could muster up.

That's what I saw. :)

no doubt that nathan didn't want to give up but the question is why was his fitness worse than the other three people playing in that game. personally i would have thought that the player which would have been bogged down by fitness should have been zheng jen because all the commenters were saying that he is a little bit overwieght and they were questioning his fitness before the game.

no doubt that nathan didn't want to give up but the question is why was his fitness worse than the other three people playing in that game. personally i would have thought that the player which would have been bogged down by fitness should have been zheng jen because all the commenters were saying that he is a little bit overwieght and they were questioning his fitness before the game.

Actually the tired one should have been Gao Ling, she also plays doubles with Huang Sui. :)

Regardless, sometimes it happens, you run out of gas and cannot "jia you" anymore.:p This was definitely the case.

Actually the tired one should have been Gao Ling, she also plays doubles with Huang Sui. :)

Regardless, sometimes it happens, you run out of gas and cannot "jia you" anymore.:p This was definitely the case.

i'm pretty sure that your allowed to get a drink a few points. i only saw nathan do this in between games, this could have been the key to gain more energy

no doubt that nathan didn't want to give up but the question is why was his fitness worse than the other three people playing in that game. personally i would have thought that the player which would have been bogged down by fitness should have been zheng jen because all the commenters were saying that he is a little bit overwieght and they were questioning his fitness before the game.

thats why i asked how hard do they make them train at the NBC because I'm wondering if Nathan was tired because they worked him too hard in training. I know its a possibility because its happened before to other players

thats why i asked how hard do they make them train at the NBC because I'm wondering if Nathan was tired because they worked him too hard in training. I know its a possibility because its happened before to other players

someone else said he was recovering from an ankle injury, if he was then he wouldn't have been doing intense training anyway

i'm pretty sure that your allowed to get a drink a few points. i only saw nathan do this in between games, this could have been the key to gain more energy

Of course, but that's not my point. Regardless of food or drink, sometimes a person is just too tired to continue, running on empty: for whatever reason. If you can't continue, you can't. I guess only an interview with NR will reveal the truth. :)

Of course, but that's not my point. Regardless of food or drink, sometimes a person is just too tired to continue, running on empty: for whatever reason. If you can't continue, you can't. I guess only an interview with NR will reveal the truth. :)

i've had games where i have almost just collapsed, it's normally if i have a tough game which goes to setting at 20-20. i suppose he did well not to give up completely, at least they got a point

I don't think he is being worked too hard in training, or if he is he is eating too much. It was clear he looked larger than last year (not Muscle).

His ankle injury was before the WC (6 months previous) , Although Gail had a cold apparently.

I don't think he is being worked too hard in training, or if he is he is eating too much. It was clear he looked larger than last year (not Muscle).

His ankle injury was before the WC (6 months previous) , Although Gail had a cold apparently.

so gail is the one who was ill and she still managed to keep going:p

so gail is the one who was ill and she still managed to keep going:p

Gail's definitely a fighter. :D

Gail's definitely a fighter. :D

pity it didn't reflect on nathan that much it that game then

pity it didn't reflect on nathan that much it that game then

When you're running on empty, just about nothing can help...except food, water, and rest. :p

When you're running on empty, just about nothing can help...except food, water, and rest. :p

are you allowed to take a bite of an energy bar when you have a drinks break?

are you allowed to take a bite of an energy bar when you have a drinks break?

I highly doubt there is a rule against it. :D

I highly doubt there is a rule against it. :D

this is what nathan should do then;)

this is what nathan should do then;)

Assuming NR was running on empty/exhausted, nothing but rest would have helped. Again, we won't know unless they interview him.

Assuming NR was running on empty/exhausted, nothing but rest would have helped. Again, we won't know unless they interview him.

i would have thought that they did interview him:confused:

well when i spoke to him on tues he admitted he wasnt at his best but also said he was running on empty and needed to work on his fitness.

well when i spoke to him on tues he admitted he wasnt at his best but also said he was running on empty and needed to work on his fitness.

we have all forgotten that he did more work in that match than gail (most men do in XD).so gails fitness still might not be better than his

well when i spoke to him on tues he admitted he wasnt at his best but also said he was running on empty and needed to work on his fitness.

That's what I figured. :)

That's what I figured. :)

;) you even used the same words, mind reader:D

;) you even used the same words, mind reader:D

ESP boy, it's all in the ESP. :p

ESP boy, it's all in the ESP. :p

you read my mind in another thread to:eek:

I don't want to light any more fires here, as I think we have covered most aspects but without any disrespect to anyone, an interview, or chat with him wouldn't help IMO.

Example 1:

Interviewer: unlucky on the match nathan, what went wrong?

NR:I was pee'd off at losing the 2nd game and couldn't be bothered trying in the third.

Example 2:

Interviewer; Unlucky on the match Nathan, what went wrong?

NR: I am lazy in training, and rely on my skill to get me through, but was not good enough.

Neither examples are likely to happen, and everyone can only speculate on the truth, no matter what any party says.

Anything from the players are likely to be dimplomatic, generic excuses such as "they played very well", "they played the big points well" , "we were not performing to the level we can do" , or "one of us was carrying an injury/illness". These reasons come out in interviews with every sports person, and it helps them too, as it makes them believe it, this is why many sports people come out with the Quote "on our/my day we can beat anyone" because it is good for their confidence to say this.

I don't want to light any more fires here, as I think we have covered most aspects but without any disrespect to anyone, an interview, or chat with him wouldn't help IMO.

Example 1:

Interviewer: unlucky on the match nathan, what went wrong?

NR:I was pee'd off at losing the 2nd game and couldn't be bothered trying in the third.

Example 2:

Interviewer; Unlucky on the match Nathan, what went wrong?

NR: I am lazy in training, and rely on my skill to get me through, but was not good enough.

Neither examples are likely to happen, and everyone can only speculate on the truth, no matter what any party says.

Anything from the players are likely to be dimplomatic, generic excuses such as "they played very well", "they played the big points well" , "we were not performing to the level we can do" , or "one of us was carrying an injury/illness". These reasons come out in interviews with every sports person, and it helps them too, as it makes them believe it, this is why many sports people come out with the Quote "on our/my day we can beat anyone" because it is good for their confidence to say this.

they could just use the good old line: "we should have won" :p

I know thats one I use all the time!! (I should have won!!)

I realise ge and nr just went back up to 1 in the world so congratulations but there should still be huge, more important goals. The worlds and olympics are surely the most important tourniments. I think that they are the best pair in the world at the moment but have to win one of these comps before they will be remembered. Winning any comp is amazing but these glories are fleeting. You are a world or olympic champion forever and everyone understands that. Saying, you were china, japan and england open champion means nothing to 99.5% of the world

I know thats one I use all the time!! (I should have won!!)

I realise ge and nr just went back up to 1 in the world so congratulations but there should still be huge, more important goals. The worlds and olympics are surely the most important tourniments. I think that they are the best pair in the world at the moment but have to win one of these comps before they will be remembered. Winning any comp is amazing but these glories are fleeting. You are a world or olympic champion forever and everyone understands that. Saying, you were china, japan and england open champion means nothing to 99.5% of the world

yes, but the all england open is still the most prestisous tournament, and all players would like to win it

We did rank the tournaments irrespective of their "stars" somewhere else in the forum, I can't seem to find it anywhere though.

I also believe they are the best pair in the world, technically they unorthodox in some ways, but for effectiveness they are No.1. This is what gives them their ranking of No.1, and why Gade and Chen Hong were ranked No.1 in the world for long periods. The difference being that their mental preparation and capability is not there. This is also the hardest to coach (near impossible), and why Chen/Gade/NR&GE and other pairs like them have not won the major tournaments as often as their skill indicates they should.

Lin Dan is the opposite, he has a decent level of skill but way below the other top singles players such as Bao/Chen/Gade/Taufik et al. however his mental state is very stable. This is part of the reson why he can win so many events, but when players are on top form he can lose seemingly easily, or drop games he perhaps "shouldn't"

Legend status comes where a strong mental capability combines with supreme skill, and is quite rare. KDM, Tony G, Gao Ling, Rudy Hartono are the only people I can think of off the top of my head. They were/are a level above everyone else in skill and Mental strength.

Put simply, if NR/GE want to win as many tournaments as their skill indicates they should, then they need to improve their Mental state, but this is very hard to do, and I can't see it happening. I wouldn't be surprised if they win a WC however, since they are held every year now (too often IMO) but I wouldn't bet on it!

We did rank the tournaments irrespective of their "stars" somewhere else in the forum, I can't seem to find it anywhere though.

I also believe they are the best pair in the world, technically they unorthodox in some ways, but for effectiveness they are No.1. This is what gives them their ranking of No.1, and why Gade and Chen Hong were ranked No.1 in the world for long periods. The difference being that their mental preparation and capability is not there. This is also the hardest to coach (near impossible), and why Chen/Gade/NR&GE and other pairs like them have not won the major tournaments as often as their skill indicates they should.

Lin Dan is the opposite, he has a decent level of skill but way below the other top singles players such as Bao/Chen/Gade/Taufik et al. however his mental state is very stable. This is part of the reson why he can win so many events, but when players are on top form he can lose seemingly easily, or drop games he perhaps "shouldn't"

Legend status comes where a strong mental capability combines with supreme skill, and is quite rare. KDM, Tony G, Gao Ling, Rudy Hartono are the only people I can think of off the top of my head. They were/are a level above everyone else in skill and Mental strength.

Put simply, if NR/GE want to win as many tournaments as their skill indicates they should, then they need to improve their Mental state, but this is very hard to do, and I can't see it happening. I wouldn't be surprised if they win a WC however, since they are held every year now (too often IMO) but I wouldn't bet on it!

i say send them back to school to learn the mental side as well:D :p

Easier said than done. Mental is much more Nature than Nuture IMO. For the master of both skill and Mind watch Roger Federer. IMO the best example of the ultimate sportsman we have in the world at present. (shame it is in a poor disicpline)

The way he remains so calm even when executing a shot is amazing. He has the best skill, mind, and attitude to his life as a sportsman I have seen in any sport ever.

Sport if full of those talented players who could not quite deal with training hard, learning from losing etc.. and players who have little talent, but try so hard to achieve what they want. This is what makes sport interesting (or boring if you have one man who has the perfect combination of the two)

Easier said than done. Mental is much more Nature than Nuture IMO. For the master of both skill and Mind watch Roger Federer. IMO the best example of the ultimate sportsman we have in the world at present. (shame it is in a poor disicpline)

The way he remains so calm even when executing a shot is amazing. He has the best skill, mind, and attitude to his life as a sportsman I have seen in any sport ever.

Sport if full of those talented players who could not quite deal with training hard, learning from losing etc.. and players who have little talent, but try so hard to achieve what they want. This is what makes sport interesting (or boring if you have one man who has the perfect combination of the two)

i would have said that gade handles himself very well maybe even better than lin dan sometimes, i don't think i've ever seen gade get angry

This thread is diverging slightly, but being angry is not the important factor. Federer gets angry with himself. It is about pushing yourself over the winning line. Once in a final situation you are likely to get near to winning a game at least maybe just 5/6 points and pushing yourself over the line, is what mental capacity is all about.

Gade is calm on court, but struggles to cross the Line. WC 2001 Fianl for example Hendrawan won first game easy as Gade very nervous. in the second game handrawan had blown himself out, and was really struggling physically. Gade needed just 2 (or three) points (i can't remember exactly) to force the third game, which in Hendrawans state would have ben gades for the taking, but he didn't make it. It was not luck IMO.

Chen hong is an even more clear cut case. He has had Game ad Match points in alsmost every pressure game he has played. EG,AE 2001 final WC2003 QF, OG2005 QF, AE final 2003, AE QF 2006. All these games he was at the tip of of either match points or game points, and he threw them away. Much as I admire CH skills and know he has the ability to win, I don't think he will win a title bigger than AE.

This thread is diverging slightly, but being angry is not the important factor. Federer gets angry with himself. It is about pushing yourself over the winning line. Once in a final situation you are likely to get near to winning a game at least maybe just 5/6 points and pushing yourself over the line, is what mental capacity is all about.

Gade is calm on court, but struggles to cross the Line. WC 2001 Fianl for example Hendrawan won first game easy as Gade very nervous. in the second game handrawan had blown himself out, and was really struggling physically. Gade needed just 2 (or three) points (i can't remember exactly) to force the third game, which in Hendrawans state would have ben gades for the taking, but he didn't make it. It was not luck IMO.

Chen hong is an even more clear cut case. He has had Game ad Match points in alsmost every pressure game he has played. EG,AE 2001 final WC2003 QF, OG2005 QF, AE final 2003, AE QF 2006. All these games he was at the tip of of either match points or game points, and he threw them away. Much as I admire CH skills and know he has the ability to win, I don't think he will win a title bigger than AE.

this will be slightly closer to topic,
when nathan and gail had all those match points i know how hard it is to finish the game off, i think the player/pair which is losing at that point has an advantage

But all they have to do at this point is win one rally. They have won many to get to this point, why not this final one. Also once Zhang/Gao had the match point would this not hand the advantage back to NR/GE?

If this is the reason for them losing, it further enforces the point that they are weaker mentally than the other players. Ifthis is the case (which I beleive it isn't)then people would wait until they are match point down then win.

But all they have to do at this point is win one rally. They have won many to get to this point, why not this final one. Also once Zhang/Gao had the match point would this not hand the advantage back to NR/GE?

If this is the reason for them losing, it further enforces the point that they are weaker mentally than the other players. Ifthis is the case (which I beleive it isn't)then people would wait until they are match point down then win.

you just kind of totally proved me wrong so all i can do is agree, but you must of had games where you are on match point and you suddenly lose it and can't get going again. i know i have

well both pairs would probably have been more nervous than usual, zhang and gao would have been nervous about losing and nathan and gail would have been nevous about winning. Its about who can keep the nerves away most and I think at that point the english pair may have been a bit too scared of winning the match

well both pairs would probably have been more nervous than usual, zhang and gao would have been nervous about losing and nathan and gail would have been nevous about winning. Its about who can keep the nerves away most and I think at that point the english pair may have been a bit too scared of winning the match

it's probably true, but why would you be scared of winning a match:confused:

it's probably true, but why would you be scared of winning a match:confused:

when you're not sure if you deserve to win, i dont know:confused: :confused: :confused: . any psychologists on this site??

when you're not sure if you deserve to win, i dont know:confused: :confused: :confused: . any psychologists on this site??

i would have said it's more like, "we got to 14 we are sure to win now, it's only one point" and that would make you lose your concentration and you become complacent

It seems that any of the england teams regardless of sport will undergo this kind of analysis. As a nation we tend to get behind our teams when they are flying high and then tear them apart when they fail to meet expectations.

Yes unfortunately Nathan and Gail failed to recliam the AE title but they have had so much success in past tournaments that has gone un-acknowledged, games in which Nathan has been by far the more aggresive/positive/mentally stable one of the pairing.

One example of this was the QF of this years AE where the game I was watching saw Gail lose all concentration and her usual dominating net game went to tatters, it was Nathan that held it all together through a tough few points that allowed Gail to get her head back together and the pair to come out on top.

I say praise them for the obvious outstanding pairing that they are, acknowledge the great results they produce, but stand by them in defeat and bad times.

There is nothing more demoralising than knowing you are not playing/have not played at your 110% best and then have everyone else reinforcing the fact........it makes bouncing back from this sort of thing that much harder and take that much longer.

I am sure that with a bit more support they will continue to be the best pair in the world.

It seems that any of the england teams regardless of sport will undergo this kind of analysis. As a nation we tend to get behind our teams when they are flying high and then tear them apart when they fail to meet expectations.

Yes unfortunately Nathan and Gail failed to recliam the AE title but they have had so much success in past tournaments that has gone un-acknowledged, games in which Nathan has been by far the more aggresive/positive/mentally stable one of the pairing.

One example of this was the QF of this years AE where the game I was watching saw Gail lose all concentration and her usual dominating net game went to tatters, it was Nathan that held it all together through a tough few points that allowed Gail to get her head back together and the pair to come out on top.

I say praise them for the obvious outstanding pairing that they are, acknowledge the great results they produce, but stand by them in defeat and bad times.

There is nothing more demoralising than knowing you are not playing/have not played at your 110% best and then have everyone else reinforcing the fact........it makes bouncing back from this sort of thing that much harder and take that much longer.

I am sure that with a bit more support they will continue to be the best pair in the world.

people are just very hypocritical, they always tend to remember the bad performances rather than the good ones, also they remember the performances in finals more than in quarters or group stages because there is more of a build up and its a "bigger" game.

i think the other reason for people forgetting their good games is that there is hardly any televisoin coverage.

It seems that any of the england teams regardless of sport will undergo this kind of analysis. As a nation we tend to get behind our teams when they are flying high and then tear them apart when they fail to meet expectations.

Yes unfortunately Nathan and Gail failed to recliam the AE title but they have had so much success in past tournaments that has gone un-acknowledged, games in which Nathan has been by far the more aggresive/positive/mentally stable one of the pairing.

One example of this was the QF of this years AE where the game I was watching saw Gail lose all concentration and her usual dominating net game went to tatters, it was Nathan that held it all together through a tough few points that allowed Gail to get her head back together and the pair to come out on top.

There is nothing more demoralising than knowing you are not playing/have not played at your 110% best and then have everyone else reinforcing the fact........it makes bouncing back from this sort of thing that much harder and take that much longer.

I am sure that with a bit more support they will continue to be the best pair in the world.

I say praise them for the obvious outstanding pairing that they are, acknowledge the great results they produce, but stand by them in defeat and bad times.





I don't think that it's so much that Nathan and Gail failed to reclaim the AE but the way they failed. Personally I imagine most people would have had no complaints at all if there had been a real battle and they had lost. But to see Nathan crumple the way he did was frustrating for everyone.

Let's not forget that the crowd were behind them all the way, even cheering wildly for the 1 point they got in the 3rd game.

You can't ever criticise soemone for losing as that is part of being competetive, but I think you are entitled to be critical when they fail to perform. You're right though, in that we should temper this with their numerous successes