Robert James Blair (born 7 August 1981) is a Scottish born badminton player who represented Scotland and England at international level.

Biography Blair was born in Scotland, but after attending Loughborough University in Leicestershire, he competed for England from 2001 until 2010, except at the Olympic Games, where Scotland and England are both parts of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team. His main motivation for changing nation was the prospect of medals at the Commonwealth Games.

Blair competed in badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics in mixed doubles with partner Natalie Munt. They defeated Tadashi Ohtsuka and Shizuka Yamamoto of Japan in the first round but lost to Nova Widianto and Vita Marissa of Indonesia in the round of 16.

Blair reached the men's doubles final at the 2006 IBF World Championships together with Anthony Clark, losing the final against Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.

On 16 December 2010 Badminton England and Badminton Scotland announced that Blair would be returning to Scotland. The reason(s) for Blair's return to Scotland remain unclear, but reports suggest a falling-out with members of the Badminton England setup was central to the decision.Blair returns home after fall-out with EnglandThere may be more to Blair's return to Scotland to train than meets the eye

Achievements

World Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2006 Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid, Spain Anthony Clark Cai Yun Fu Haifeng 9–21, 13–21 Silver

Commonwealth Games Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2006 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia Anthony Clark Ashley Brehaut Travis Denney 21–6, 21–14 Bronze

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2014 Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland Imogen Bankier Chan Peng Soon Lai Pei Jing 21–17, 21–11 Bronze

European Championships Men's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2006 Maaspoort, Den Bosch, Netherlands Anthony Clark Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen 17–21, 21–11, 18–21 Bronze

BWF Grand Prix The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017. The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result2005Thessaloniki World Grand Prix Anthony Clark Michael Fuchs Roman Spitko15–6, 15–9 Winner2006German Open Anthony Clark Jung Jae-sung Lee Yong-dae11–15, 6–15 Runner-up2007Bitburger Open David Lindley Mathias Boe Carsten Mogensen17–21, 15–21 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result2004Indonesia Open Natalie Munt Zhang Jun Gao Ling9–15, 9–15 Runner-up2005Thessaloniki World Grand Prix Natalie Munt Anthony Clark Donna Kellogg4–15, 15–6, 13–15 Runner-up2006Swiss Open Natalie Munt Nathan Robertson Gail Emms17–14, 7–15, 2–15 Runner-up2006Dutch Open Jenny Wallwork Flandy Limpele Vita Marissa21–18, 21–18 Winner2007Bitburger Open Imogen Bankier Kristof Hopp Birgit Overzier17–21, 17–21 Runner-up2010German Open Imogen Bankier Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama Tse Ying Suet5–15 retired Runner-up2011German Open Gabrielle White Shintaro Ikeda Reiko Shiota16–21, 21–16, 21–15 Winner2013Scottish Open Imogen Bankier Chris Langridge Heather Olver21–16, 21–14 Winner2014German Open Imogen Bankier Ko Sung-hyun Kim Ha-na21–15, 21–18 Winner2014Scottish Open Imogen Bankier Niclas Nøhr Sara Thygesen21–18, 21–14 Winner BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF & IBF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result2000New Zealand International Russell Hogg John Gordon Daniel Shirley16–17, 7–15 Runner-up2000Irish International Russell Hogg Alastair Gatt Craig Robertson15–12, 12–15, 5–15 Runner-up2001Irish International Stephen Foster Mike Beres Kyle Hunter7–3, 7–3, 6–8, 8–7 Winner2002Austrian International James Anderson Peter Jeffrey Ian Palethorpe7–2, 7–3, 7–5 Winner2002Irish International Ian Palethorpe Peter Jeffrey Julian Robertson15–5, 14–17, 15–9 Winner2004Portugal International Simon Archer Liu Kwok Wa Albertus Susanto Njoto15–9, 12–15, 15–7 Winner2007Scottish International David Lindley Vitalij Durkin Aleksandr Nikolaenko21–18, 21–12 Winner2012Bulgarian International Tan Bin Shen Andreas Heinz Max Schwenger18–21, 25–23, 21–18 Winner2012Turkey International Tan Bin Shen Magnus Sahlberg Mattias Wigardt21–11, 21–15 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result2001Bulgarian International Natalie Munt Paul Trueman Liza Parker4–7, 4–7, 7–2, –, – Winner2001Scottish International Natalie Munt William Milroy Denyse Julien8–6, 7–1, 8–6 Winner2001Irish International Natalie Munt Bo Rafn Helle Nielsen7–4, 3–7, 7–1, 7–5 Winner2002Scottish International Natalie Munt Nikolai Zuyev Marina Yakusheva6–11, 13–12, 11–9 Winner2003Spanish International Natalie Munt Jörgen Olsson Frida Andreasson17–16, 15–10 Winner2007Scottish International Imogen Bankier Aleksandr Nikolaenko Nina Vislova15–21, 22–20, 21–9 Winner2013French International Imogen Bankier Marcus Ellis Alyssa Lim21–17, 21–17 Winner2013Kharkiv International Imogen Bankier Kim Astrup Maria Helsbøl20–22, 21–9, 21–18 Winner2013Bulgarian International Imogen Bankier Robert Mateusiak Agnieszka Wojtkowska21–17, 21–15 Winner2013Irish Open Imogen Bankier Jacco Arends Selena Piek21–9, 19–21, 13–21 Runner-up2014Swedish Masters Imogen Bankier Peter Käsbauer Isabel Herttrich24–22, 14–21, 21–16 Winner2014Orleans International Imogen Bankier Niclas Nøhr Sara Thygesen21–13, 19–21, 21–18 Winner2014Spanish Open Imogen Bankier Robert Mateusiak Agnieszka Wojtkowska21–13, 14–21, 21–16 Winner2015Swiss International Pia Zebadiah Bernadet Bodin Isara Savitree Amitrapai18–21, 25–23, 21–18 Winner BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series/ European Circuit tournament

Record against selected opponents Mixed Doubles results with Gabrielle White against Super Series finalists, World Championships semifinalists, and Olympic quarterfinalists.

Tao Jiaming & Tian Qing 0–1 Xu Chen & Ma Jin 0–3 Zhang Nan & Zhao Yunlei 0–1 Chen Hung-ling & Cheng Wen-hsing 0–1 Joachim Fischer Nielsen & Christinna Pedersen 0–1 Thomas Laybourn & Kamilla Rytter Juhl 0–1 Chris Adcock & Imogen Bankier 1–1 Tontowi Ahmad & Liliyana Natsir 0–2 Yoo Yeon-seong & Jang Ye-na 0–1 Ko Sung-hyun & Yoo Yeon-seong 2–1 Robert Mateusiak & Nadieżda Zięba 0–1 Songphon Anugritayawon & Kunchala Voravichitchaikul 2–1 Sudket Prapakamol & Saralee Thungthongkam 1–2

References

External links