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Reginald Brace at Wimbledon: Teenager shows she has what it takes to become a big noise
It was a pleasing start for Wimbledon's new Court Two, a sunken, 4,000-seat arena where Court 13 once stood. The Duke of Kent performed the official opening and then Laura Robson, the brightest British women's hope for years, made her debut in the women's singles.
Laura is 15 and the youngest player to appear in the Wimbledon main draw since Martina Hingis in 1995. There was no story book ending. Although she led the vastly more experienced Daniela Hantuchova by a set and a service break, the Slovakian came through 3-6 6-4 6-2.
But there was so much to admire in Robson's performance that it is not hard to predict a successful future for this still growing schoolgirl who has been mixing tennis with exams this season. The big danger is that in accordance with British tradition we expect too much too soon.
Her left-hander's service is a formidable weapon and the forehand is similarly intimidating. For half the match she threatened to overpower an opponent 456 places higher in the world list, but notoriously fragile in temperament.
Then the possibility evaporated as Hantuchova began to play with style, elegance and assurance. Robson faded and was left to face her next Wimbledon challenge, the defence of the girls' singles title she won a year ago to a fanfare of publicity.
Although this smiling, likeable girl was born in Melbourne of Australian parents she has lived in England since she was six and has understably been claimed by the Lawn Tennis Association. She already gives a splendid interview.
One of the questions she fielded with aplomb yesterday was about the shrieking which is becoming increasingly prevalent in the women's game, but not her's. "It's such an unattractive sound isn't it?" she said.
"It's up to the individual but I don't think it helps that much if you're screaming 110 decibels. I don't mind a normal grunt when you hit it but when you're grunting before and after you hit the shot that's just taking it to a different level. I wouldn't call it cheating or gamesmanship. It's just not the nicest sound to hear when you're trying to focus on hitting your own shot."
Well said, young lady. It was an articulate reaction to the growing disquiet about a problem which reached new heights – or depths depending on your stance – during the French Open with the deafening screams of Michelle Larcher De Brito from Portugal.
The noise was compared to a jet at take-off or the full throttle roar of a racing motor bike, and aroused the ire of no less than Martina Navratilova, who wanted something done about it. All of this ensured a packed audience around Court 17, where De Brito faced the Czechoslovakian Klara Zakopalova.
Disappointingly for those who had invested in earplugs, the Portuguese girl was in relatively muted mode. True, every shot was accompanied by a little scream but this was more moped than motor bike as she cruised to a 6-2 7-5 victory.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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