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Wimbledon final: Watch out, Venus ... here comes Laura
Britain's Laura Robson kisses her trophy after winning the Wimbledon girl's singles final. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
At last Britain has a Wimbledon singles champion - and she is only 14. Laura Robson became the new sensation of British sport yesterday when she won the girls' event with a gutsy performance that promised great things for the future.
Robson, who said she had not been able to sleep on Friday night, overcame her big-match nerves in front of 11,500 partisan fans on Court 1 to become the first Briton to lift a singles crown at Wimbledon since Annabel Croft won the junior title 24 years ago. Her broad smile as she held the trophy aloft said it all.
The local girl, who has home schooling so she can focus on training, showed composure worthy of a seasoned professional - and fighting spirit notoriously rare in British tennis - to produce some crucial winners and overcome the third seed, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand, eventually triumphing 6-3 3-6 6-1. Clearly elated, Robson told the BBC: 'Being Wimbledon girls' champion sounds really good. It was great today because the crowd were behind me and it was such an experience.' The teenager admitted the big stage had been daunting. 'I didn't feel relaxed and composed. I thought I was going to be sick when I walked on to court because there were so many people watching. In the second set I went a bit mad but got it back together and managed to win.'
Robson almost stole the thunder of Venus Williams, who beat her sister Serena in straight sets in a high quality contest in windy conditions in yesterday's final to take her fifth Wimbledon singles title and seventh Grand Slam in all. Asked how she would fare against the women's champion, Robson replied: 'I'd take her down!' She can now expect superstar treatment, with huge interest from media organisations and sponsors. She will be given a wild card to enter the women's singles at Wimbledon next year and is on course to be a dollar millionairess by her 16th birthday.
Robson, who stands at 5ft 7in, is the best hope for British women's tennis after its years in the doldrums, overshadowed by the achievements of Tim Henman and Andy Murray in the men's game. Fans gathered to watch yesterday's final on a big screen from the grassy knoll known as 'Henman Hill', prompting a BBC commentator to joke that one day it might become known as 'Robson Ridge'.
The new British darling was, in fact, born in Melbourne, Australia. She spent 18 months there before arriving in Britain, via Singapore, aged six. Her father, Andrew, is a Shell executive and her mother, Kathy, was a professional basketball player. Robson has spent the past eight years learning her craft in Roehampton and at Wimbledon itself, which is only five minutes' walk from her home.
The left-hander won yesterday's final in three sets, in just over an hour and a half, before receiving the trophy from Britain's 1969 ladies champion Ann Jones. During a second-set wobble, Robson threw her racquet around and screamed loudly, but the outburst only seemed to fire her up towards victory.
'It is fantastic', said her mother Kathy. 'I am so proud of her. But I want to keep it all simple, because she is just 14 years old and just like any other child of her age. My husband and I will do all we can to keep her feet firmly on the ground.'
She added: 'She might be a Wimbledon champion, but she'll be doing the dishes tonight. She's a brilliant tennis player and very determined on the court. But she is a normal teenager.' Her mother said that by way of celebration the family was considering going down to their local Pizza Hut, although she wasn't sure the teenager would like being seen out with her parents. 'We haven't been to Pizza Hut in years - that's like a big occasion,' said Robson.
Meanwhile, she had been hoping that Russian player Marat Safin, who met Roger Federer in the men's semi-finals, would accompany her to the champions' dinner tonight.
But she said: 'His agent gave me a letter today. It says - I've got it memorised, actually - "To Laura, I'm sorry I can't come to the ball, but good luck for tomorrow." It was really nice. He's turned me down, unfortunately, but I think he's a bit old for me anyway.'
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- <LI class=byline>David Smith and Shekhar Bhatia <LI class=publication>The Observer,
- Sunday July 6, 2008
- Article history
Britain's Laura Robson kisses her trophy after winning the Wimbledon girl's singles final. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/APAt last Britain has a Wimbledon singles champion - and she is only 14. Laura Robson became the new sensation of British sport yesterday when she won the girls' event with a gutsy performance that promised great things for the future.
Robson, who said she had not been able to sleep on Friday night, overcame her big-match nerves in front of 11,500 partisan fans on Court 1 to become the first Briton to lift a singles crown at Wimbledon since Annabel Croft won the junior title 24 years ago. Her broad smile as she held the trophy aloft said it all.
The local girl, who has home schooling so she can focus on training, showed composure worthy of a seasoned professional - and fighting spirit notoriously rare in British tennis - to produce some crucial winners and overcome the third seed, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand, eventually triumphing 6-3 3-6 6-1. Clearly elated, Robson told the BBC: 'Being Wimbledon girls' champion sounds really good. It was great today because the crowd were behind me and it was such an experience.' The teenager admitted the big stage had been daunting. 'I didn't feel relaxed and composed. I thought I was going to be sick when I walked on to court because there were so many people watching. In the second set I went a bit mad but got it back together and managed to win.'
Robson almost stole the thunder of Venus Williams, who beat her sister Serena in straight sets in a high quality contest in windy conditions in yesterday's final to take her fifth Wimbledon singles title and seventh Grand Slam in all. Asked how she would fare against the women's champion, Robson replied: 'I'd take her down!' She can now expect superstar treatment, with huge interest from media organisations and sponsors. She will be given a wild card to enter the women's singles at Wimbledon next year and is on course to be a dollar millionairess by her 16th birthday.
Robson, who stands at 5ft 7in, is the best hope for British women's tennis after its years in the doldrums, overshadowed by the achievements of Tim Henman and Andy Murray in the men's game. Fans gathered to watch yesterday's final on a big screen from the grassy knoll known as 'Henman Hill', prompting a BBC commentator to joke that one day it might become known as 'Robson Ridge'.
The new British darling was, in fact, born in Melbourne, Australia. She spent 18 months there before arriving in Britain, via Singapore, aged six. Her father, Andrew, is a Shell executive and her mother, Kathy, was a professional basketball player. Robson has spent the past eight years learning her craft in Roehampton and at Wimbledon itself, which is only five minutes' walk from her home.
The left-hander won yesterday's final in three sets, in just over an hour and a half, before receiving the trophy from Britain's 1969 ladies champion Ann Jones. During a second-set wobble, Robson threw her racquet around and screamed loudly, but the outburst only seemed to fire her up towards victory.
'It is fantastic', said her mother Kathy. 'I am so proud of her. But I want to keep it all simple, because she is just 14 years old and just like any other child of her age. My husband and I will do all we can to keep her feet firmly on the ground.'
She added: 'She might be a Wimbledon champion, but she'll be doing the dishes tonight. She's a brilliant tennis player and very determined on the court. But she is a normal teenager.' Her mother said that by way of celebration the family was considering going down to their local Pizza Hut, although she wasn't sure the teenager would like being seen out with her parents. 'We haven't been to Pizza Hut in years - that's like a big occasion,' said Robson.
Meanwhile, she had been hoping that Russian player Marat Safin, who met Roger Federer in the men's semi-finals, would accompany her to the champions' dinner tonight.
But she said: 'His agent gave me a letter today. It says - I've got it memorised, actually - "To Laura, I'm sorry I can't come to the ball, but good luck for tomorrow." It was really nice. He's turned me down, unfortunately, but I think he's a bit old for me anyway.'
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