Back in 2008, it immediately appeared that Great Britain had a future star in the shape of Laura Robson. Aged only 14, she had defeated older and more experienced opponents to be crowned girls champion at Wimbledon. A special talent seemed to be in the making, and now this week in New York she seems to be realising her true potential.
Since her glorious outing at Wimbledon in 2008, Robson, now aged 18, has gradually progressed through the rankings, reaching 88th position before the current US open got underway. Injuries related to growth issues, have hindered her advancement, and this year is the first time she has enjoyed a continuous stint of full fitness.
All of a sudden she is now reaping the rewards for all the hard work she has put in over the past years. Firstly winning a silver medal with Andy Murray at the Olympics was a fantastic moment for the youngster who was born in Melbourne, and she has already stunned two grand slam winners in the first week of the US Open.
In the second round, Robson was superb against Belgian Kim Clijsters. Clijsters has won two US Open titles, and before her defeat to Robson, had last lost a match in New York in 2003 when Robson was only nine. Yet Robson was not overawed by the reputation of her experienced opponent, producing some of the tennis of her life, to secure a straight sets victory and stun the American crowd.
Then just to show that the victory over Clijsters was no fluke, Robson moved through to the fourth round by defeating another grand slam winner, this time Chinese number one Li Na, last year’s French Open winner. Her powerful hitting and nagging accuracy disrupted the game of the number nine seed, who was forced into numerous errors, which saw Robson claw her way through the first set. The second set was a tight affair, but the experience of Li Na helped her to force a final set.
In the past Robson may have crumpled having to play a third set, the physical strain taking its toll. But now after a lot of work with Andy Murray’s fitness coach Jez Green and her new Croatian coach, Zeljko Krakan, Robson is a stronger and fitter player, and that showed in the final set. In the final set she once more upped her level, breaking her Chinese opponent’s serve twice, to breeze to a 6-2 victory which belittled her age and inexperience.
As a reward Robson now faces current US Open Champion, Sam Stosur in the fourth round. The Australian will be another formidable opponent, but will not relish the task of having to play a teenager infused with confidence and excellent form. Regardless of what happens though it has been a marvellous week for Robson, who can take great pride in her efforts over the past week.
In reaching the fourth round, she became the first British woman to reach the second round of the US Open since Jo Durie in 1991, and the first to reach any grand slam fourth round since Samantha Smith in 1998 at Wimbledon. Smith’s achievement was the highlight of her career, but Robson has the ability to reach numerous grand slam second rounds, and progress much further.
A bright future lies ahead of the youngster, yet the key thing is not to alter expectations. Robson moved into this tournament with no pressure on her shoulders; now all of a sudden people may expect her to become a world beater. Instead we should take any win as a bonus, and not pile the pressure on a youngster who is the future of British tennis, and could become our best player since the likes of Sue Barker.
Indeed the future prospects of women’s tennis in Britain looks bright, as Robson’s rise is coupled with the progress of fellow youngsters Heather Watson and Johanna Konta, despite the latter’s frustrating defeat in the second round from a fantastic position. Add to that the more experienced duo of Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha, and you have a nucleus of strong tennis players who can lead Britain into happier times. All of a sudden British tennis is not all based around Andy Murray, in the shape of Laura Robson we have another potential future star.