Schiavone fights back to oust Robson (Lead)
June 26th, 2012 - 9:20 pm ICT by IANSLondon, June 26 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone was forced to fight back from a set down to beat British youngster Laura Robson in the Wimbledon tennis championships here Tuesday.
Robson dominated the first set as Schiavone struggled with a back problem, but the 24th-seeded Italian struck back in the second before holding on, in the decider for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win.
The 18-year-old Robson, who entered the top 100 for the first time Sunday at No. 97, saved two match points at 1-5 down in the third set and battled back to 4-5, saving two more match points, before Schiavone finally succeeded in closing out the match.
The Italian’s next opponent will be either Slovakian world No. 46 Polona Hercog or qualifier Krystina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
Earlier, Czech 19th seed Lucie Safarova became the fifth seeded player to fall in the Wimbledon women’s draw after a straight-sets defeat to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.
Safarova was broken six times by Bertens, who is ranked 86th in the world, on the way to a 3-6, 0-6 defeat that lasted just 50 minutes.
Bertens will now play Kazakhstan’s wildcard entrant Yaroslava Shvedova, who reached the fourth round of the French Open earlier this month.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
sr/vm
- Kvitova survives scare to reach Wimbledon second round (Second Lead) - Jun 26, 2012
- Safarova crashes out at Wimbledon - Jun 26, 2012
- Wimbledon: Errani thrashed by record-breaker Shvedova - Jun 30, 2012
- Williams survives scare to beat Shvedova - Jul 02, 2012
- Wimbledon: Sharapova knocked out; Williams survives scare (Lead) - Jul 02, 2012
- Gilles Simon goes down to Xavier Malisse at Wimbledon (Roundup) - Jun 29, 2012
- Olympic tennis: Sharapova saunters past Peer - Jul 30, 2012
- Pennetta crashes out at Wimbledon - Jun 25, 2012
- Radwanska advances at Wimbledon, Penetta knocked out (Lead) - Jun 25, 2012
- Wimbledon: Venus Williams crashes out, Djokovic advances (Second Lead) - Jun 25, 2012
- Olympics: Sharapova sweats to oust Robson in round 2 - Aug 01, 2012
- Makarova stuns Kvitova in Eastbourne - Jun 19, 2012
- Nadal, Li advance to 4th round at French Open - Jun 03, 2012
- Defeat no tragedy, it's just a match: Nadal - Jun 29, 2012
- US Open: Azarenka, Stosur to meet in quarters - Sep 03, 2012
Tags: czech republic, decider, francesca schiavone, french open, french open champion, kiki, match points, next opponent, polona, ria novosti, seeded player, six times, straight sets, vm, wildcard, wimbledon, wimbledon tennis championships, wimbledon women, yaroslava shvedova, youngster