World champions bow out of All England event

BIRMINGHAM, England, Mar 9 (Reuters) World mixed doubles champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms went out of the All England tournament at today's quarter-final stage, losing to China's exciting new pairing of Zheng Bo and Gao Ling.

The English duo, winners in 2005 and runners-up a year ago, were edged out 21-17 18-21 23-21 in a 78-minute tussle.

Robertson and Emms had battled back from 6-2 down in the decider to reach match point at 20-19 with the home crowd urging them on.

But Gao, a multiple champion at all levels with former partner Zhang Jun, produced a smash which the English could not scoop from the floor as the Chinese levelled before going on to clinch a semi-final place on their second match point.

The defeat was a psychological blow for Robertson and Emms ahead of the world championships in August and next year's Olympics where the Chinese pair will again loom large.

Robertson, who is having an elbow operation next week, felt he would be sharper after surgery.

''In the end it was down to a couple of points today and they played them slightly better,'' he told reporters.

''There was nothing between the pairs and we have got to take positives from that.'' The Chinese success was matched on the adjacent court at the National Indoor Arena as top seed Lin Dan fought his way into the men's singles semis with an 18-21 21-11 21-18 triumph over unseeded Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia.

Women's top seed Xie Xingfang also reached the last four with a comfortable 21-8 21-17 victory over fellow Chinese Jiang Yanjiao.

Reuters DKS VP0350