MUCH has been made in recent times about the demise of Antipodean tennis and sport in general.
So it is rather ironic that it should be a couple of adopted Aussies who will fly the flag for British women in the second round.
Sydney-born Johanna Konta made it a 50% first-round success rate when she joined Melbourne native Laura Robson in the last 64. While the 18-year-old Robson had been widely tipped to overcome the American qualifier Samantha Crawford – at 17 one of the few players younger than her in the draw – a feat she duly achieved by a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) score, Konta was more of a pleasant surprise when she outgunned Timea Babos by a 6-2, 7-5 score in the sweltering afternoon heat on Court No.15.
With Babos hailing from Hungary, and the 21-year-old qualifier Konta also of Hungarian extraction, this was billed the battle of Budapest. Unfortunately, there was to be no such success for Anne Keothavong, who crashed out 6-2, 6-0 defeat to the dangerous No.6 seed Angelique Kerber.
Robson goes on to face Kim Clijsters, second on Arthur Ashe today, giving her a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring a great champion's career crashing to a premature end.
Three times a US Open winner, and four times a non-participant, Robson must overcome a woman who is actually unbeaten at this venue in seven years.
"She's playing really well at the moment, and it's her last tournament, so I'm sure she's going to be very, very pumped up," the 18-year-old said. Clijsters revealed the pair had been occasional hitting partners and would receive some guidance and inside info from her coach Carl Maes, who was head of women's tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association when Robson won Junior Wimbledon.
"I remember hitting with Laura at Wimbledon, and I know Carl had some kind of influence," the 29-year-old said. "I hope he can give me some tips. Laura hits the ball so cleanly. It's going to be very important to go for the lines and try to get her out of her comfort zone a little bit."
Showing no signs of retiring despite a brutal year, was Keothavong. This was her seventh straight defeat since losing in the second round at Wimbledon, and understandably she was downbeat afterwards. "I still enjoy what I do," she said.
"I'm not crying myself to sleep every night because I have lost a tennis match." But it was Konta who really stole the show. Her athletic prowess and aggressive hitting from the baseline was too much for Babos, and she displayed great fighting qualities to fight back from 5-1 down in the second set and save multiple second set points before prevailing on Court No 15. She goes on to face either Tamira Paszek or Olga Gorotsova.
"I have practised with her a lot at the NTC and she is also someone who I think will progress up the rankings sooner rather than later," said an impressed Keothavong, even if Konta is coming after her British No.2 spot. "She is another really nice girl and someone who I think can do well."
Elsewhere on the women's side, the big hitters were making serene progress through the draw. Angieszka Radwanska, the world No.2, dropped just a game in either set and showed little sign of being affected by a strapped right shoulder as she defeated Russian Nina Bratchikova in just 54 minutes, and the illness-ravaged Venus Williams continued her excellent form to come through 6-3, 6-1 against countrywoman Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
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