LONDON: Home favourite Laura Robson was the toast of Wimbledon again on Friday as the 19-year-old reached the third round for the first time, five years after being dubbed the “next big thing” in British women’s tennis.
By this stage of the tournament the only British female presence is usually the ball girls but Robson, who won the junior Wimbledon title as a 14-year-old, was given the unexpected honour of playing on Centre Court after her match was postponed by rain on Thursday. She duly rose to the occasion and surfed a wave of home support to beat Colombian qualifier Mariana Duque-Marino 6-4 6-1. “It’s a big win for me,” said Robson. “Any match on Center Court is a big one and it was a great atmosphere out there and having the roof closed just made it louder.”
Robson had never gone beyond the second round at Wimbledon, though she did reach the fourth at last year’s U.S. Open – the first British woman to last that long in a grand slam event for 14 years. “I didn’t think I played my best, my timing was a bit off, but I just had to accept that and try to control it,” she said. (Agencies)