Wimbledon: Laura Robson says she’s not laughing now that Jack Draper has life like shot of glory at All-England Membership | Tennis Information
In her newest Sky Sports activities column, Laura Robson discusses Jack Draper’s possibilities of glory at Wimbledon, why the ladies’s match is so broad open and her every day routine as match director on the new ladies’s occasion at Queen’s Membership…
Draper has been main the British problem in latest months with a primary Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells after which ending as runner-up on the clay on the Madrid Open.
He obtained the furthest on the French Open earlier than shedding within the fourth spherical to an impressed Alexander Bublik.
Nonetheless, he obtained his first Roland-Garros wins beneath his belt, as did Jacob Fearnley, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal, whereas Cameron Norrie loved a much-needed run to the third spherical following a tricky 18 months, whereas Emma Raducanu was unfortunate to run into four-time winner Iga Swiatek within the second spherical.
Emma Raducanu’s French Open hopes have been dashed by four-time champion Iga Swiatek early on within the match
It was all an unlimited enchancment on final yr’s first-round wipe-out in Paris, however now consideration turns to grass and the beginning of the third Grand Slam of the yr on the All-England Membership on June 30.
“I do not know who’s favorite within the ladies’s Wimbledon occasion. I’d most likely say [Aryna] Sabalenka as a result of she’s executed nicely there prior to now however for Coco [Gauff] it has been a floor which hasn’t fairly given her the outcomes that the opposite Slams have,” Robson mentioned from her workplace at Queen’s Membership the place she is match director for the brand new WTA 500 occasion.
“Regardless that Gauff has made the fourth spherical 3 times, there’s not been that standout outcome, I would say, so I feel that leaves it fairly open for some new faces to come back in.
“Our second seed right here this week is Mady [Madison] Keys and I type of assume what would have occurred final yr had she not pulled up with an damage within the fourth spherical at Wimbledon so there’s undoubtedly an opportunity for a great deal of totally different individuals.”
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Highlights of the Indian Wells last as Jack Draper crushed Holger Rune to say his first Masters 1000 title
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the world’s high two gamers, contested their first Grand Slam last on the French Open – and it was an all-time basic however residence hopes will relaxation closely on British No 1 Draper.
Robson mentioned: “Tim [Henman] and I have been joking about this in Paris, that incontrovertible fact that on the finish of the yr, Overs [Jonathan Overend] mentioned we will have a Brit within the Wimbledon last and we laughed it off, however now Jack is as much as quantity 4 on this planet and we’re considering, ‘Oh, we’re nearer than we thought!’
“To have that on the lads’s aspect, in addition to Alcaraz and Sinner as nicely – it is fairly particular. It is good to have British storylines concerned earlier than the match even begins.”
Robson: My Queen’s expertise
Robson was beforehand match director of the Nottingham Open in 2023 and 2024 earlier than being appointed in the identical function on the new ladies’s occasion at Queen’s Membership in November.
And it has been an eye-opening expertise for the 31-year-old former junior Wimbledon champion.
“I have been right here for every week already, so I obtained in straight from Paris final Monday. I’d say it was a reasonably fast transition as a result of we have been nonetheless within the constructing part at that time,” defined Robson.
“It has been onerous work, however I actually take pleasure in it. On Wednesday once I arrived within the morning it was nonetheless very a lot a constructing website however by the tip of that day once I left, I may see a participant lounge come collectively and all these totally different areas come to life, so I feel that is been very rewarding regardless that our occasion supervisor does all of the onerous work and I do the watching!
“Simply to take a seat the place my workplace is and see all of it come collectively has been actually satisfying. I’d say numerous my day now that the match has began is spent on scheduling, working with the totally different broadcasters, pre-planning the schedule for the week, ensuring participant requests are heard and famous and equally attempting to create one of the best order of play for all events.”
Robson hopes to herald a brand new viewers for the ladies’s match the place hopes of a British winner are excessive.
“Everybody has been actually optimistic and with good cause as a result of this can be a world-class males’s occasion nevertheless it’s now a world-class ladies’s occasion so it is all the identical services for gamers and public,” she mentioned.
“There’s barely extra accessible ticket pricing so we’re hoping to see a distinct viewers right here at Queen’s.
“We wish individuals to come back and expertise dwell sport for the primary time, so we have had actually good numbers, and we’re bought out from Friday. I used to be strolling across the grounds earlier when the gates opened, seeing individuals are available for the primary time. It was actually cool!
“I am hoping for no rain and no accidents. You need one of the best degree of tennis, so the followers have one of the best expertise they usually come again subsequent yr.”
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