Share

Teen Robson upends Kvitova

Melbourne - British teenager Laura Robson claimed another big Grand Slam scalp as she outlasted eighth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 in a late-night thriller at the Australian Open.

The 18-year-old Robson, who beat Kim Clijsters and Li Na at last year's US Open, took advantage of 18 double faults from former Wimbledon champion Kvitova to reach the third round.

"I knew it was going to be very, very tough and trying to return her serve in the first set was very, very hard," 53rd-ranked Robson told the crowd.

GALLERY: Babes of the Australian Open

"But I knew once I got my returns firing and a bit more confidence on my serve I could get myself back into the match and that's what I did."

With temperatures still close to 90 degrees as the match moved past midnight, both players made a stack of errors but Robson recovered from 4-2 down to serve for the match at 6-5.

Nerves got to her and Kvitova broke back but Robson broke again in the 19th game and then held on to set up a clash with American 19-year-old Sloane Stephens.

Robson's win, combined with the progress of Heather Watson, means there are two British women in the third round in Melbourne for the first time since 1991.

Results from day four of the Australian Open on Thursday:

Women's singles

Second round

Victoria Azarenka (BLR x1) bt Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) 6-1, 6-0
Ayumi Morita (JPN) bt Annika Beck (GER) 6-2, 6-0
Roberta Vinci (ITA x16) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 6-3, 6-2
Maria Kirilenko (RUS x14) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 7-5, 6-2
Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA x21) 6-4, 6-2
Serena Williams (USA x3) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 6-2, 6-0
Jamie Hampton (USA) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 6-1, 6-2
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Daria Gavrilova (RUS) 7-5, 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Hsieh Su-wei (TPE x26) 6-2, 6-1
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x20) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 7-6 (10/8), 7-5
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x10) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-1, 6-4
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) bt Shahar Peer (ISR) 6-2, 7-5
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2
Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE x17) 7-5, 7-5
Sloane Stephens (USA x29) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-4, 6-3
Laura Robson (GBR) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x8) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9

Men's singles

Second round

Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt Florian Mayer (GER x25) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x17) bt Amir Weintraub (ISR) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x7) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3
Andy Murray (GBR x3) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Lukas Rosol (CZE) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-3
Marin Cilic (CRO x12) bt Rajeev Ram (USA) 7-5, 6-2, 6-4
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 10-8
Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8)
Andreas Seppi (ITA x21) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x6) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Lu Yen-hsun (TPE) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 0-6, 6-1, 8-6
Gilles Simon (FRA x14) bt Jesse Levine (CAN) 2-m6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP x30) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Richard Gasquet (FRA x9) bt Alejandro Falla (COL) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Ivan Dodig (CRO) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1195 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1393 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2114 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE