US Open: Laura Robson continues giant-killing run

Laura Robson continued her giant-killing run at the US Open with a brilliant victory over ninth seed Li Na yesterday to reach the fourth round.

The 18-year-old had pulled off one of the results of the tournament in the second round by beating three-time champion Kim Clijsters, sending the Belgian into retirement, but this was even better.

In the final set in particular, Robson outplayed one of the form players of the tour and last year’s French Open champion to clinch a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 victory.

She becomes the first British woman to make the fourth round at a Grand Slam since Sam Smith at Wimbledon in 1998 and the first in New York since Jo Durie 21 years ago.

Afterwards, Robson said her plan had just been to take on her shots. “I knew if I kept sticking with her and playing my shots it might pay off and it did,” she explained. “She’s a great hitter, so knew I had to go for it. I’m going to go back to the gym and try to recover for the next match.”

Robson also put her stunning tournament so far down to her fitness levels. “I’ve been injured loads in the past and this is my first time injury free. That’s 
the biggest improvement and difference,” she added.

Against Clijsters, Robson had taken her time to settle, but yesterday she was firing from the off, breaking her opponent’s serve with a crunching return to lead 2-0.

Li hit back immediately, but the Chinese player was making far more mistakes than usual and a forehand long handed Robson another break to lead 4-2. She missed her chance serving for the set three games later, but Li was helping her opponent out and another error gave Robson the set on her second opportunity. The quality was nothing like that of the Clijsters encounter, with both players making a lot more mistakes than they would have liked, but it was costing the ninth seed more. Robson dropped serve for a third time at the start of the second set, but again responded straight away, nailing a cross-court backhand that had too much power for her opponent.

Robson screamed when she conceded a point in the seventh game only to save a break point with an ace. The 18-year-old was serving more double faults than she would have liked – seven in total – but, when she got her first serve in, it was causing big problems for Li. Twice the British 
No 3 held to force Li to serve to stay in the match, but the 30-year-old was playing much better now and did not waver.

The tie-break was as tight as they come and, although Robson did little wrong, it was Li who took it on her first set point with a backhand that landed on the back of the baseline.

It was a blow for the British player, but, far from letting it affect her, she redoubled her efforts, showing the improved movement that has been such a feature of her run here.

Li saved three break points in the third game but she could not hold off Robson two games later.

It looked like the ninth seed had been handed a reprieve when a poor line call denied Robson, but that only spurred her on even more and the teenager drew the error from Li. Robson broke through again to lead 5-2 and she took her first match point in the next game to seal a famous win. She meets defending champion Sam Stosur in the next round.