Robson on song in Hopman Cup

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:59

The 15-year-old stunned her Spanish rival, who had not even lost a set at the tournament, 6-1 7-6 (8/6).

It was Robson’s first singles win at the tournament and while she squandered four match points in the second set tie-breaker, the teen held her nerve to clinch the match with her 28th winner.

Robson defied her ranking of 403 as she fired an array of winners in the opening set to undermine the effectiveness of Sanchez Martinez’s serve-and-volley game plan.

The Spaniard’s success this week had centred on her play coming forward, but she managed just one winner from the net in the first set.

By contrast Robson earned her first break in the fourth game with a backhand winner and broke again on her opponent’s next service when Robson blocked a return past the Spaniard as she persevered in coming forward. The Briton was now brimming with confidence and served out the set with an ace.

Martinez Sanchez had to wait until the eighth game of the second set to get a look at her first break point, which she converted, but a nerveless Robson broke back immediately to set up a tie-break.

The teenager was handling the pressure and reeled off six consecutive points in the tie-breaker to earn four match points, only to spurn them all.

But not to be denied she claimed the match in fitting style following a forehand down the line with a backhand cross-court winner on her fifth match point.

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