Robson defeated in Perth

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:58

The 15-year-old Briton fought back from a break down to claim the opening set and looked in control when her Kazakh opponent called a five-minute medical time out at the end of the set as she struggled with a flu-like illness.

But Shvedova, the world number 52, rallied admirably thereafter winning the final eight games to clinch the match and give Kazakhstan a 1-0 lead heading into the men’s singles match between Andy Murray and Andrey Golubev.

Robson had looked likely to concede the opening set when Shvedova raced into a 4-2 lead.

A nervy-looking Robson had managed to win just three points in Shvedova’s opening three service games, but against the run of play found a way back.

Shvedova was 30-love ahead on her service but Robson, with the aid of a pair of double-faults, reeled off the next four points to make it 4-4.

It was the turning point of the set and, with Shvedova starting to show signs of the illness that has plagued her in the past week, Robson pounced to again break serve and claim the first set.

Shvedova had a medical time out at the end of the set because of a nose bleed, and when she returned Robson immediately held to win her fifth game on the spin.

The 22-year-old Kazakh continued to cough her way through the second set but showed admirable resolve to break in the third game and then again in the ninth to take an entertaining match into a deciding set.

Shvedova was looking to shorten the points and the tactic was working as she drilled a forehand winner to immediately earn a break point that she converted to go 2-0 ahead. From there the right-hander dominated, claiming the set to love and give the tournament’s lowest ranked team a 1-0 lead in the tie.

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