Nerves tell as Robson grows up a little more

THERE were two Englishwomen who have won Wimbledon singles titles inside Court 2 yesterday. It is perhaps a testimony to the heat the new stadium produced under a broiling sun that there were those who believed, in more expectation than hope, that there was another Englishwoman there who will win the salver. Ann Jones, winner in 1969, and Virginia Wade, who took the title in 1977, watched as Laura Robson succumbed to nerves, expectation and Daniela Hantuchova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. It was, though, a fine performance from Robson. It offered evidence of a good professional player in the making. Talk of major titles is absurdly premature. Robson is still a girl. At 15 years and 122 days, there are bits of cheese in the back of my fridge that are older. She has grown but there is much to be done both physically and technically before the youngster can survive in the professional ranks. There were, though, encouraging signs. Robson served at 3-2 up in the second set, having won the first, and had the 26-year-old Slovak seemingly in big trouble. The match tilted from then in favour of the more experienced player. "I just got really nervous, " said Robson later in a tone that reminded everybody that she was, after all, a schoolgirl. This was emphasised by Robson's fielding of questions relating to her GCSEs. Part of the junior champion's build-up to Wimbledon was sitting English exams in "this big, old church". Yesterday she was in a new, atmospheric Court 2. Opened by the Duke of Kent, who somehow managed to get the day off, the court resounded to cries of support for the English girl and whispers that young Robson could be the next big thing. But the home favourite flourished and then foundered on her serve. She opened the match with an ace and ended it with a double fault. This was emblematic of Robson's major problems. She is inconsistent, inexperienced and chooses the wrong shots at the wrong time. It was more than just frustrating to lose both sets to double faults. It was daft. But these problems can all be addressed and eradicated. Robson's serve will always be a potent weapon, if she can find accuracy. She regularly fizzed it in at 108mph, leading to 10 aces. But she also committed 14 double faults. That is the equivalent of giving away three-anda-half games. In the whole match, Hantuchova won eight more points than her English opponent. No-one can give up so many points through double faults. Robson's forehand, too, is both ferocious and fickle, scintillating and sloppy. There were gasps of appreciation as Robson hammered a succession of forehands beyond Hantuchova but there were also groans of disappointment as she boomed similar shots long from decent positions. Hantuchova watched with the benefit of her wizened old age of 26. "It didn't feel good being a set down and a break down and getting kicked by a girl 11 years younger than me, " she conceded. But she used her experience. "She started playing more balls in the court, " said Robson. This was not a statement of the bleedin' obvious but a telling observation. Hantuchova believed that Robson should be given every opportunity to play the ball, so increasing the likelihood of errors, unforced or otherwise. Robson slowly unravelled. This was understandable. The match had to be seized and won when she went a break up in the second. After she failed to grasp this opportunity, the tie slipped away gently but inexorably. It was ended by a moment's silence as Robson double-faulted. The youngster trudged off a victim of both Hantuchova and of tiredness. Both decision-making and shot-making suffered as Robson felt the pace. "I can still get stronger and fitter, " she admitted. "In that third set, I got a bit tired so that is something we will work on." There is much to improve but also much to build on. Robson has a strong foundation of serve and forehand. She will become fitter, she will make better decisions and the nerves should leave her. But this will still leave Robson like so many other aspirants across the world. She has a chance to make it to the top, but no more than that. Hantuchova was both polite and positive. "Obviously, she's got talent, " she said. "But it is still a long way for her to go. She has potential. It's important she keeps working on the right things and goes in the right direction." Hantuchova goes on to try to improve her ranking of 32 and a very mediocre record in majors that has a semi-final at the Australian Open last year as a lonely high point. Robson now has to decide whether to stay at school or dive into professional Tennis. "I don't know yet, " she said when asked about her immediate plans. GSCEs or WTA? It is likely Robson will opt for the latter. There were times on court yesterday when she looked every inch a top-class player. There were other moments, particularly when she pouted in frustration, that she looked like a teenager who just wanted to go to her room. But Robson gained a lot of experience in just under two hours in her first major. She will have grown up just that little bit from taking on a decent player in a tense atmosphere. Her increasing maturity should be an example to over-excited observers. The Robson story has some way to run but the over-heated drama should be confined to court.