"I've gone from a short blonde to a tall brunette!" he has said describing the change from 31-year-old Gail Emms to 21-year-old Wallwork.

Equally delighted is Robertson's new partner – Wallwork vowing to bring aggression and ambition as the pair bid for glory come London 2012.

As far as household badminton names go, Nathan Robertson takes some topping.

Long before Team GB's Beijing brilliance, he and Emms captured the public imagination with an Olympic silver medal four years ago in Athens.

The duo then took gold at the World Championships in Madrid two years later and there were hopes of more success in Beijing only for the pair to bow out in the quarter-finals.

It proved the ultimate exit for Emms who retired after Beijing and Robertson was left seeking a new partner.


Step forward Garforth's Wallwork – Robertson has been impressed with the 21-year-old who first represented England aged 12 and has a host of international successes under her belt.

The former Garforth Community College student is regarded as one of the country's hottest young talents and is ranked world number 33 in ladies doubles with her partner Suzanne Rayappan.

Delighted at her appointment, Wallwork has the ultimate pedigree with both her parents highly successful badminton players.

Wallwork's mum Jill played for England twice in the 1980s while her coaching father Brian tasted European success by winning over-55s men's singles and mixed doubles titles at the European Senior Championships.

Unsurprisingly, one Wallwork objective is to bring badminton more into the national spotlight.

And with one of her main characteristics being aggression – the ambitious right-hander is vowing to fight tooth and nail to make 'Robertson and Wallwork' the new household name.

"I'm a very competitive person and when I get on the court I'm quite aggressive," said Wallwork.

"Nathan is pretty laid back when he plays whereas I am quite aggressive, like Gail was, and I think it's going to work quite well as a pairing.