US Open day five preview: Robson in for tough time against Li

Clijsters and Robson

On the back of recording her greatest win in a Grand Slam, Laura Robson must now refocus and do it all again against Li Na at Flushing Meadows.

The 18-year-old Brit defeated Kim Clijsters in the second round, a result that ended the career of the latter after she announced the US Open would be her last tournament.

No match is easy at the top level, and Robson after beating the four-time major champion will now be rubbing shoulders with a player who also knows what it is like to lift a Grand Slam, Li.

Li won the French Open last year and has been quietly going about her business at the US Open on the back of winning the Cincinnati Masters. She has already beaten a Brit, getting the better of Heather Watson 6-2, 6-3 in round one, but her latest encounter is set to be a different one.

Many great things are expected from Robson, and she is hoping to become the first British woman in 14 years to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam. She’s also been doing a little bit of homework on her opponent.

“I'm going to have a little chat to Heather and see what her thoughts were seeing as they played each other first round,” said Robson, the youngest player inside the world’s top 100. “She's playing extremely well at the moment. She just won Cincinnati. I have a really tough match.”

World No.1 and reigning Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is also in action today, and the Belarusian, who has been untroubled so far at the US Open, takes on Zheng Jie. The current French Open champion Maria Sharapova faces Mallory Burdette, and like Azarenka, has breezed through her matches and yet to be put under real pressure.

In the men’s draw, former champion Juan Martin del Potro takes on home favourite Ryan Harrison, while Janko Tipsarevic could be in for a rough ride against Brian Baker, another player the home crowd will throw their full support to.

İsmail Vedat

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