Robson left ‘freaked’ by increased attention after New York exploits

The 18-year-old has been the talk of Flushing Meadows after her run to the fourth round of the US Open, which was ended late on Sunday night with a 6-4 6-4 defeat by defending champion Sam Stosur.

Robson has been tipped for the top since winning junior Wimbledon in 2008 at the age of 14, and her grand slam breakthrough is set to take her into the world’s top 75 and up to British No 2.

Wins over Kim Clijsters and Li Na made the teenager the first British player to reach the fourth round at the US Open since Jo Durie in 1991, and the interest has been huge.

Robson said: “I’ve had loads of messages of support over the last few days. My phone has been running out of battery every few hours because there’s been so many messages coming through. And especially on twitter, I’ve had loads of support.

“[Yesterday] morning there was a camera crew outside my hotel, which was a little bit freaky. I got really excited because I thought they were waiting for someone who was actually famous. I didn’t really think they were for me at all until they started following me to the car. I was a little bit freaked out actually.”

Robson had her chances in the first set against Stosur on Sunday, gaining the first break of the match against one of the game’s best servers, only to hand it straight back. She then had two more break points in the ninth game but again they went  begging and a double fault handed Stosur the set.

The second set looked like it was running away from Robson when her opponent ramped up the pressure at 5-2, but the teenager showed admirable spirit and no little talent to save eight match points before Stosur  finally clinched victory.

Robson added: “I came into the tournament and I felt pretty good going into my first-round match. But I really wasn’t looking past the first round.

“After Clijsters I thought it was a great win but I needed to back it up, and that’s what I did. But this match has been a little bit disappointing, so I’m going to drown my sorrows in some shopping.”

She added: “I’m definitely  disappointed. I felt like I didn’t play as well as I did in my last three matches. I just hit too many unforced errors.

“Sam is someone who makes you feel like you’re playing bad because she hits it with so much spin, so it’s hard to get her serve back sometimes.

“Her serve is really special. I’ve never played anyone with a serve like hers before, so it does take you a couple of games to get used to. I just felt like I had a lot of opportunities that I didn’t take. But it’s been a good tournament for me.”

Stosur now faces world No 1 Victoria Azarenka, who made it only ten games lost in four matches with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Anna Tatishvili. The other quarter-final in the top half will be between third seed Maria Sharapova, who was given a fright by fellow Russian Nadia Petrova, and France’s Marion Bartoli, the conqueror of fifth seed Petra Kvitova.

Sharapova is into the quarters of the US Open for the first time since winning the title six years ago. But the third seed had cause to thank the New York rain after a delay early in the decider helped her recover from 2-0 down to post a 6-1 4-6 6-4 victory over Petrova under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Sharapova had looked set to win in straight sets when she recovered from 4-0 down in the second set to level, but Petrova reeled off four games in a row before the rain started to fall.

They resumed an hour and 13 minutes later with Sharapova in much more assertive form and she broke Petrova twice before serving out the win after two hours and 14 minutes.

Sharapova talked to her coach, Thomas Hogstedt, in the break and said: “He told me to get my act together. He just told me to fight and that was what I did.”