Robson the leading lady as Clijsters takes her bow

Sports Writer

Thursday 30 August 2012

BRITAIN'S Laura Robson brought the stellar singles career of the three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters to a close last night with a dramatic second-round victory over the Belgian.

Laura Robson celebrates her stunning victory over Kim Clijsters last night

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Stewart Fisher

The teenager secured by far the biggest win of her career, a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) triumph, with the gutsiest of displays against an opponent who was below her best but was prepared to scrap every inch of the way. Clijsters had stated her intention to retire at the end of the grand slam tournament is which she has enjoyed greatest success

She is still involved in the doubles competition but her hopes of a fourth success at Flushing Meadows were worn away by the tenacity of her 18-year-old opponent, who will play the ninth seed, Li Na of China, in the last 32."I was just trying to play as well as I could," said Robson. "I knew if I didn't Kim would dominate. I had to go out there, hit as many balls as I could and just work my butt off."Addressing Clijsters, Robson said: "I want to say thanks to Kim for being such a great role model. I've grown up watching you and it's just been an absolute pleasure to finally play against you."Clijsters was given a great reception by the crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium and struggled to contain her emotions."One of my biggest dreams came true in 2005 winning here," said the Belgian. "I've played some of my best tennis and my best matches here. This feels like the perfect place to retire, I just wish it wasn't today. Laura played extremely well today. I fought, I gave it my all and it wasn't good enough. Since I retired the first time it's been a great adventure for my team and my family and it's all been worth it, but I do look forward to the next part of my life."Hoping to join Robson, meanwhile, will be another British player brought up in Australia, Johanna Konta. It is overstating the case to say that Konta is following the Andy Murray blueprint to success, but the men's world No.4 would at least recognise certain aspects of her development. The 21-year-old, born in Sydney to Hungarian parents, acquired British citizenship in May, but spent around 15 months as a teenager at the same Sanchez-Casal Academy where Murray learned his trade. Now she also finds herself under the watchful eye of Fed Cup captain Judy. "I very much hope I will be on the next Fed Cup team," said Konta, as she prepared to take on Olga Govortsova, of Belarus, in the second round. "But it is up to the captain. Judy is great. I've known her for a number of years, but I only really started speaking to her during Wimbledon. She's always sending emails congratulating me, so it is good."I did enjoy my time in Barcelona; I spent about 15 months there on and off," she added. "It was good for the period I was there. But by that time I was living in London, so I was splitting a bit of time, and I left because I needed to move on." Konta went into the tournament with a world ranking of 203 but the athleticism and aggressive ball striking she displayed from the back of the court when coming through a tough first-round match against the No.54 Timea Babos suggests her star is on the rise.

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Robson the leading lady as Clijsters takes her bow

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