BOLTON badminton star Chris Hunt has ended his successful doubles partnership with Simon Archer. The pair have won six consecutive national titles but have taken the decision just four days after their men's doubles triumph over great rivals Nathan and Julian Robertson at the Liverpool Victoria English National Championships.

In a surprise move the European champions, who climbed to No 2 in the world rankings, are to forge new pairings with the Robertsons who won bronze at the Europeans.

At next month's Yonex All England Championships in Birmingham 30-year-old Hunt will partner 29-year-old Julian Robertson. Archer, 25, will team up with 21-year-old Nathan Robertson. Just to complicate things further, Nathan Robertson shares Hunt's house in Northampton.

"I suppose the Nationals was our swan song," said Hunt. "Although Simon and I will play the World Grand Prix finals in Brunei later this month. There was no falling out, simply Simon wanted to change the playing style and he thinks he can do that with Nathan. "It will be great for me to play with Julian and the world championships in May and the Olympics next year are our obvious targets."

But first the new partners will almost certainly have to face one another at the final Friends Provident Grand Slam qualifier in Chester at the end of April.

Ironically, whatever happens in Chester they will have to revert to their old pairings for the end-of-season Grand Finals.

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