Video: Laura Robson pleased with Portsmouth tennis experience

LAURA ROBSON was in positive mood after losing out narrowly in three sets to Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe KnottLaura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott
Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott

The Great Britain player fought hard at Portsmouth Tennis Centre after the match was switched from the rain-soaked grass courts in Southsea.

The first set had been played on Tuesday before the miserable weather arrived.

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That made it very difficult for both players, adapting to a hard court a day later.

Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe KnottLaura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott
Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott

But they both played some very exciting tennis and Robson forced Alexandrova to fight extremely hard to close out the victory 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

‘I think I had a good chance to win that match,’ said Robson.

‘It was so close in the end and even having break points in that last game.

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‘It really could have gone either way, she kind of played her best tennis break point down because she freed up a little bit and went for a bit more.

Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe KnottLaura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott
Laura Robson was pleased with her experience of playing in Portsmouth. Picture: Chloe Knott

‘It was difficult conditions, having to go from a soft grass court to an unforgiving indoor hard court.

‘But I think we both handled it pretty well and I think both of us played some decent tennis.’

Robson has been focused on the task all week as she prepares for Wimbledon.

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She was certainly on her game from the start with a very good performance in set to level the match.

That was important to ensure Alexandrova did not get a comfortable second day of the tournament.

Robson added: ‘I knew I had to be sharp from the beginning otherwise it could have got away from me quite quickly.

‘We had a quick warm-up on the hard courts and I just tried to stay mentally sharp to restart the match as best I could.’

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The rain has been disappointing with such a great tournament coming to Southsea.

But the players have all remained upbeat and are determined to get the best out of the week even despite not getting as much time on the grass as they would like.

Robson knows it is part of the nature of this kind of tennis and has experienced the frustration plenty of times before.

She said: ‘It’s part of the grass-court season really, we’re all so used to it.

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‘There’s always a chance that in a short tournament like this, where you have got limited time, that you are going to have to move indoors and we were told that so we were ready for it.’

Robson is now ready to focus on Wimbledon.

Hopefully there will be some better weather in the coming days to allow her to get some more practice on the grass ahead of this summer’s big Grand Slam event.

She added: ‘I’ll try to get back outside on the grass courts hopefully and prepare as best I can with all the physio and fitness stuff to be ready for Monday.’