LONDON 2012: Emms and Robertson reunite to beat Olympic bound Australians

By Sportsbeat staff

GAIL Emms and Nathan Robertson reunited on court for the first time in four years as Great Britain beat arch-rivals Australia in a pre-Olympic exhibition tournament.

TOGETHER AGAIN: Nathan Robertson, who recently announced his retirement after failing to make the Olympic team, and former partner Gail Emms played for one last time and beat arch-rivals Australia in Derby (Getty Images)

Emms, who won badminton Olympic silver with Robertson in Athens eight years ago, retired after the Beijing Games but reunited with her former partner to beat Ross Smith and Renuga Veeran in two close but still straight sets.

Robertson, who was overlooked for Olympic selection with new mixed doubles partner Jenny Wallwork, then combined with Peter Mills to beat Smith and Glenn Wharfe while Wallwork and Donna Kellogg were too good for Leanne Choo and Veeran, winning in straight sets.

Robertson announced his retirement after failing to make his third Olympic team and Great Britain will have a squad of just four athletes competing at Wembley Arena, smaller than their teams in both Beijing and Athens.

Imogen Bankier and Chris Adcock, world silver medallists in 2011, compete in the mixed doubles while Rajiv Ouseph and Susan Egelstaff are the home entries in singles events.

Ouseph beat world number five Peter Gade at the All England Championships earlier this year to avenge a first round defeat to the same opponent at the 2011 World Championships, which were held in the Olympic venue last summer.

"The qualifying year was a little bit up and down and I had a couple of niggles, but I qualified in the top 16 on the men's list to get a seeding," he said.

"That could be important for the Games. I am just looking to take one game at a time and see where it goes."

© Sportsbeat 2012