Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms have got used to blocking out distractions since becoming England’s first celebrity players after winning an Olympic silver medal, but they may need a mental wall of epic proportions to regain the title at the Yonex All England Open Championships starting in Birmingham today.
Robertson is to have an operation next Wednesday – three days after the tournament – on an elbow injury that has been troubling him since he and Emms won the world title in Madrid last September.
Ticket sales at the National Indoor Arena are at record levels, the majority to people expecting Robertson and Emms to reach their third successive All England final, but the pair may already have one eye on their next challenge.
Robertson