Laura Robson cruises as Angelique Kerber exits on day five – Wimbledon Championships 2013
Local star, Laura Robson, crippled the Colombian qualifier, Mariana Duque-Marino, with a breadstick at the Wimbledon Championships 2013 on Friday.
The seventh seeded German, Angelique Kerber, on the other hand suffered a shocking defeat against the Estonian challenger, Kaia Kanepi, in the second round at this Major grass court event.
Robson kept British hopes high after cruising past the world number 117 in their first encounter.
The British teenager stated in an on-court interview after stealing the show, “I didn't think I played my best. My timing wasn't perfect so I had to deal with that as best I could and managed to control it. It's a big win for me. Any match on the Centre Court is big for me. The crowd under the roof is a lot louder, which is really exciting - you feel so much more of an atmosphere.”
Ranked 38th in the WTA Premier Rankings, Robson made a dismal entry at the Centre Court. She suffered the first blow in the third game and trailed at 1-2. However, the Brit reeled off five games and took a 5-2 lead. Despite exchanging a break in the last two games, Robson sealed the opener by winning six games to four.
The high-flying Brit lifted her game in the following set. She drew the first blood in the second game and leaped to a 3-0 lead. After the qualifier held her serve in the fourth game, Robson stroke out last three games and clinched the set with a breadstick.
The 19-year-old will square off against New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic. The Kiwi stunned 24th seeded Chinese, Shuai Peng, in straight sets to set-up this battle.
Kanepi displayed her best tennis at this third of the four Grand Slam events held in London. The players last battled each other at the Medibank International in Sydney four years ago and after winning this match, she maintained her winning record.
The disappointed German commented in a courtside interview after bowing out to Kanepi, “I had my chances, but I didn't take them. Maybe I could have been a bit more aggressive on one or two balls but she played good on the important points. Then in the third set she was playing unbelievable and I couldn't do anything.”
Next in line for Kanepi is the American wild card entrant, Alison Riske, who made an epic comeback from a set down to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory against Poland’s Ursula Radwanska.
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