Robson and Watson lead British cheer
BRITISH tennis had reason to cheer at Flushing Meadows last night when Laura Robson and Heather Watson both advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Open junior girls’ singles title.
Fifteen-year-old Robson, the 2008 Wimbledon girls’ champion, defeated 12th seed Tamaryn Hendler of Belgium 6-2, 6-1 to book a last eight clash with American wild card Lauren Davis.
Robson said: “I liked how she hit it hard, it was easier for me. I was looking to hit percentage shots rather than going for the lines so I think that’s why it seemed a bit more fluid.
“It was a lot harder than the score suggests because there were a lot of games that went to deuce and she had a couple of break point chances.
“So it wasn’t a routine match but I thought I played well.”
She was joined by 11th seed Watson, who also enjoyed a straight-sets success, beating Germany’s Annike Beck 6-4, 7-5.
The 17-year-old from Guernsey will now play Thailand’s second seed Noppawan Lertcheewakam, who was beaten by Robson in the 2008 Wimbledon final 15 months ago but currently holds the All England Club title.