Robson secures rankings reward

Laura Robson, Britain's Wimbledon junior champion, will take her first step on to the senior international ladder next week when she is named in the Women's Tennis Association world rankings for the first time. The 14-year-old Briton earned her place in the list by playing yesterday in her third senior tournament, the Barnstaple Open in Devon.

Although beaten 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 by Germany's Angelique Kerber, the world No 143, Robson has earned 27 ranking points since making her senior debut in Limoges last month and will enter the world list at about No 560, which would make her the British No 13. Robson reached the second round in France and the semi-finals of her second tournament, at Shrewsbury, where she beat Israel's Tzipora Obziler (world No 123) and Poland's Urszula Radwanska (No 128) before losing to Maret Ani of Estonia (No 105).

The match against Kerber, for which Robson receives a first-round loser's cheque for £230, was a high-quality contest. The 20-year-old German left-hander, who was ranked in the world's top 70 last year, eventually proved the stronger player physically, coming back to win from a set and 4-3 down. Robson, however, played a fine match, attacking from the baseline and showing great maturity in her shot selection and in the way she constructed rallies.

Kerber was impressed. "She's playing like a top 150 player," the German No 7 seed said afterwards. "I know she will be in the top 100 within a year because she's a very good player. It's unbelievable how she's playing. I was just very happy to win today."

Robson admitted she was feeling tired by the end. "I gave everything I had but didn't get the result I wanted," she said. "She defended really well, but I gave it all I could. I'm still pleased."

Later this month Robson will make her first appearance on the main Sony Ericsson WTA tour, having accepted a wild card to play in a tournament in Luxembourg. Thereafter she will return to junior competition, building up to the Australian Open in January.

Interesting? Click here to explore further