US Open 2013: One year on, Laura Robson is fired up for Li Na return

Laura Robson (GETTY IMAGES)

The year since she made her Grand Slam breakthrough has all but turned full circle for Laura Robson. Twelve months after recording arguably the biggest win of her career when she beat China's Li Na in the third round of the US Open, Robson again meets the same opponent at the same stage of this year's tournament.

Both players have subsequently risen in the world rankings. Li is No 6, two places higher than she was a year ago, while Robson is No 32, a climb of 57 places as she has firmly established herself as a threat to the very best. "She's still the higher-ranked player," Robson said as she looked forward to taking on the 2011 French Open champion. "I'm going to go out there like I approach every other match, try my best on court and play my own game."

The first British woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam tournament for 26 years, Robson has already lived up to her seeding by reaching the last 32. She did so by beating a fellow 19-year-old, the big-hitting Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia, 6-4, 7-6 in a rain-delayed match on Wednesday. Robson saved her best for last, breaking serve with an aggressive game at 6-5 and then driving home her advantage in the tie-break.