Robson ends 15-year UK wait amid more shocks
Source: AFP |
June 30, 2013, Sunday
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LAURA Robson became the first British woman in 15 years to reach the Wimbledon fourth round yesterday as journeymen Lukasz Kubot and Kenny De Schepper capitalized on the culling of All England Club seeds in London.
Robson came from a set and 3-5 down to defeat New Zealand's Marina Erakovic, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 and goes on to face either Alison Riske of the United States or Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, a former quarterfinalist.
Sam Smith, in 1998, was the last British woman to make the last 16.
Robson, currently ranked 38 in the world, will also move into the top 30 after the tournament, the first British woman to break that barrier since Jo Durie in April 1987.
"I was getting my butt kicked in the first set," said Robson.
"I was struggling to return her serve in the first set and Marina was playing really well. But I told myself just to keep working hard, she will get nervous and that's what happened."
Kubot, the 31-year-old world No. 130, defeated French 25th seed Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last-16 for the second time and celebrated his achievement with an impromptu can-can on Court 18.
De Schepper, the 26-year-old world No. 80, beat Argentine 22nd seed Juan Monaco, 6-4, 7-6 (8), 6-4 to book a last-16 spot at a major for the first time.
Kubot, who also made the fourth round in 2011, is the second Pole to reach the last-16 after 24th seed Jerzy Janowicz booked his place on Friday.
Kubot next faces French world No. 111 Adrian Mannarino who has made the last-16 at a major for the first time in 14 attempts.
Left-hander De Schepper will face experienced Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round after the Spanish former top 10 player, now at 54 in the world, cruised past Latvian Ernests Gulbis, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
Russian 20th seed Mikhail Youzhny, a quarterfinalist in 2012, beat Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 and faces British second seed Andy Murray.
The lop-sided bottom half of the draw has been caused by the shock early exits of defending champion Roger Federer, No. 5 Rafael Nadal, sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marin Cilic, the 10th seed.
In the top half, Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, the runner-up in 2010, claimed his ninth win in nine meetings with South Africa's Kevin Anderson, coming through 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Berdych takes on unseeded Australian Bernard Tomic, a quarterfinalist in 2011, who put out French ninth seed, Richard Gasquet, 7-6 (7), 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5).
Meanwhile, Ivan Dodig of Croatia reached his first fourth round at Wimbledon when Igor Sijsling quit trailing 0-6, 1-6, 0-1. The Dutchman's withdrawal equalled the injury pullouts record of 13 from 2008.
Robson came from a set and 3-5 down to defeat New Zealand's Marina Erakovic, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 and goes on to face either Alison Riske of the United States or Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, a former quarterfinalist.
Sam Smith, in 1998, was the last British woman to make the last 16.
Robson, currently ranked 38 in the world, will also move into the top 30 after the tournament, the first British woman to break that barrier since Jo Durie in April 1987.
"I was getting my butt kicked in the first set," said Robson.
"I was struggling to return her serve in the first set and Marina was playing really well. But I told myself just to keep working hard, she will get nervous and that's what happened."
Kubot, the 31-year-old world No. 130, defeated French 25th seed Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last-16 for the second time and celebrated his achievement with an impromptu can-can on Court 18.
De Schepper, the 26-year-old world No. 80, beat Argentine 22nd seed Juan Monaco, 6-4, 7-6 (8), 6-4 to book a last-16 spot at a major for the first time.
Kubot, who also made the fourth round in 2011, is the second Pole to reach the last-16 after 24th seed Jerzy Janowicz booked his place on Friday.
Kubot next faces French world No. 111 Adrian Mannarino who has made the last-16 at a major for the first time in 14 attempts.
Left-hander De Schepper will face experienced Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round after the Spanish former top 10 player, now at 54 in the world, cruised past Latvian Ernests Gulbis, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
Russian 20th seed Mikhail Youzhny, a quarterfinalist in 2012, beat Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 and faces British second seed Andy Murray.
The lop-sided bottom half of the draw has been caused by the shock early exits of defending champion Roger Federer, No. 5 Rafael Nadal, sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marin Cilic, the 10th seed.
In the top half, Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych, the runner-up in 2010, claimed his ninth win in nine meetings with South Africa's Kevin Anderson, coming through 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Berdych takes on unseeded Australian Bernard Tomic, a quarterfinalist in 2011, who put out French ninth seed, Richard Gasquet, 7-6 (7), 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5).
Meanwhile, Ivan Dodig of Croatia reached his first fourth round at Wimbledon when Igor Sijsling quit trailing 0-6, 1-6, 0-1. The Dutchman's withdrawal equalled the injury pullouts record of 13 from 2008.
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