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ENGLAND: ARCHER TELLS HUNT GOODBYE

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG Badminton Products and their Western USA agents BADMINTON ALLEY. **

February 14, 1999 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - England's world-class men's doubles combination of Simon Archer and Chris Hunt, ranked as high as world number two recently, are going their separate ways after the World Grand Prix Finals at the end of February. Starting with the All-England Open championships in mid-March, Archer who initiated the breakup will be playing with Nathan Robertson. Hunt will pair up with Julian Robertson.

Archer and Hunt had been playing together for more than six years and together had captured 2 European championships and 6 English national titles but had no truly major international achievements.

Archer, the younger of the two at age 25 and also the more fiery, outspoken and cocky, had lately been feeling that he and the 30-year old Hunt could not make any further progress together and he made the move to split with Hunt and pair up with the 21-year old Nathan Robertson.

The young Robertson had been the center of several English badminton team controversies. Last year, he became a father and went through a lifestyle change followed by improved competition results.

Robertson had been playing with the unrelated 29-year old Julian Robertson and the two of them had provided the best English challenge to Archer and Hunt in the past two years.

Nathan Robertson who is much quicker than Hunt could give Archer the complementary partner that Archer needs to support his powerful attacking play from the rearcourt, and the combination could propel Archer to a world championship or Olympic medal. Much though will depend on how quickly the young Robertson and Archer can adjust to playing with each other.

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