Wimbledon: Laura Robson says she’s not laughing now that Jack Draper has life like shot of glory at All-England Membership | Tennis Information
In her newest Sky Sports activities column, Laura Robson discusses Jack Draper’s possibilities of glory at Wimbledon, why the ladies’s event is so large open and her each day routine as event director on the new ladies’s occasion at Queen’s Membership…
Draper has been main the British problem in current months with a primary Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells after which ending as runner-up on the clay on the Madrid Open.
He bought the furthest on the French Open earlier than dropping within the fourth spherical to an impressed Alexander Bublik.
Nonetheless, he bought his first Roland-Garros wins below his belt, as did Jacob Fearnley, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal, whereas Cameron Norrie loved a much-needed run to the third spherical following a tricky 18 months, whereas Emma Raducanu was unfortunate to run into four-time winner Iga Swiatek within the second spherical.
Emma Raducanu’s French Open hopes had been dashed by four-time champion Iga Swiatek early on within the event
It was all an unlimited enchancment on final yr’s first-round wipe-out in Paris, however now consideration turns to grass and the beginning of the third Grand Slam of the yr on the All-England Membership on June 30.
“I do not know who’s favorite within the ladies’s Wimbledon occasion. I’d in all probability say [Aryna] Sabalenka as a result of she’s executed properly there prior to now however for Coco [Gauff] it has been a floor which hasn’t fairly given her the outcomes that the opposite Slams have,” Robson mentioned from her workplace at Queen’s Membership the place she is event director for the brand new WTA 500 occasion.
“Despite the fact that Gauff has made the fourth spherical 3 times, there’s not been that standout end result, I might say, so I believe that leaves it fairly open for some new faces to return in.
“Our second seed right here this week is Mady [Madison] Keys and I form of suppose what would have occurred final yr had she not pulled up with an damage within the fourth spherical at Wimbledon so there’s positively an opportunity for a great deal of completely different folks.”
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Highlights of the Indian Wells remaining as Jack Draper crushed Holger Rune to say his first Masters 1000 title
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the world’s high two gamers, contested their first Grand Slam remaining on the French Open – and it was an all-time traditional however dwelling hopes will relaxation closely on British No 1 Draper.
Robson mentioned: “Tim [Henman] and I had been joking about this in Paris, that incontrovertible fact that on the finish of the yr, Overs [Jonathan Overend] mentioned we will have a Brit within the Wimbledon remaining and we laughed it off, however now Jack is as much as quantity 4 on this planet and we’re considering, ‘Oh, we’re nearer than we thought!’
“To have that on the boys’s aspect, in addition to Alcaraz and Sinner as properly – it is fairly particular. It is good to have British storylines concerned earlier than the event even begins.”
Robson: My Queen’s expertise
Robson was beforehand event director of the Nottingham Open in 2023 and 2024 earlier than being appointed in the identical position on the new ladies’s occasion at Queen’s Membership in November.
And it has been an eye-opening expertise for the 31-year-old former junior Wimbledon champion.
“I have been right here for per week already, so I bought in straight from Paris final Monday. I’d say it was a reasonably fast transition as a result of we had been nonetheless within the constructing section at that time,” defined Robson.
“It has been onerous work, however I actually get pleasure from it. On Wednesday once I arrived within the morning it was nonetheless very a lot a constructing website however by the top of that day once I left, I might see a participant lounge come collectively and all these completely different areas come to life, so I believe that is been very rewarding although our occasion supervisor does all of the onerous work and I do the watching!
“Simply to take a seat the place my workplace is and see all of it come collectively has been actually satisfying. I’d say loads of my day now that the event has began is spent on scheduling, working with the completely different broadcasters, pre-planning the schedule for the week, ensuring participant requests are heard and famous and equally making an attempt to create the very best order of play for all events.”
Robson hopes to herald a brand new viewers for the ladies’s event the place hopes of a British winner are excessive.
“Everybody has been actually constructive and with good purpose as a result of this can be a world-class males’s occasion however it’s now a world-class ladies’s occasion so it is all the identical amenities for gamers and public,” she mentioned.
“There’s barely extra accessible ticket pricing so we’re hoping to see a special viewers right here at Queen’s.
“We wish folks to return and expertise reside sport for the primary time, so we have had actually good numbers, and we’re offered out from Friday. I used to be strolling across the grounds earlier when the gates opened, seeing folks are available in for the primary time. It was actually cool!
“I am hoping for no rain and no accidents. You need the very best degree of tennis, so the followers have the very best expertise and so they come again subsequent yr.”
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