Wimbledon 2010: Laura Robson marches on despite service worries

At times there was frustration but come the close of Laura Robson's second-round girls' singles match against Krista Hardebeck the result, at least, was right. The final figures of 6-0, 6-4 were on the scoreboard in Robson's favour in an outcome that only seemed in doubt once the contest moved into the second set and the 16-year-old's serve became worryingly inconsistent. In the opening game the Briton was broken by her American opponent and the intermittent grumbles and glares began, which lasted until she confirmed her passage into the third round. By then her first-serve percentage had dropped from an admirable 72% in the opening set, to 55%. But the problem for Hardebeck – and the good news for Robson – was the 15-year-old's own inability to cling on to her serve. Reflecting on her contrasting form in the two sets, Robson said: "I think it's always hard to keep up [the] kind of level that I was playing in the first set [when] I think I only lost eight points. It was always going to be tougher in the second set. I think she loosened up, made a lot more balls. She played much better tennis. So it was good to get through that." Robson was asked if her win in this competition in 2008 and her appearance in the main draw of the women's singles this year is adding to the pressure. "Not necessarily, because I didn't win it [the junior title] last year. I'm not one of the high seeds in the juniors," she replied. She is ranked eighth only because her main focus is now the senior game. "So I'm just trying to focus match by match really. I'm going to have to play a lot better tomorrow because it's going to be a really tough match." Next up for the Australian-born Robson is An-Sophie Mestach, a Belgian seeded 11. But even if she reclaims the junior title Robson's ability and growing maturity makes the prospect of playing in this competition much longer unlikely. Whether she can win the senior singles' title should become clearer over the coming years. For now, Robson has talked to Ann Jones and Virginia Wade, two British women who have lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish. "I've spoken to Ann before and Virginia before. I haven't really spoken to them about their Wimbledon finals, but they've done extremely well in the past. Hopefully they'll be really supportive of me."