Wimbledon 2010 Day 1: JJ vs Laura Robson

Predictably... the world and his wife left the stadium en masse... and they weren’t hanging around getting the girls out

Strong start by JJ with a break...with a DF from Laura helping...

Laura comes across as fearless (compared to Bally earlier in the day who appeared really nervous)... Girls’ got game but at times inconsistent... her footwork in particular ... I think JJ’s experience was really going to stand her in good stead here... lord – JJ even came into the net once in a while!

Mind you saying that – she got herself broken to love, dammit when serving for the set! Pfffft!

She took it though at the second time of asking...

What struck me most was JJ generating and whipping up pace... not sure I’ve seen her do that too much on grass...she’s very good at constructing her points and forcing those UEs from making her opponents play that “one more shot”... she didn’t get her own way with Laura though.

What I mean by “fearless” is this kid is more than capable of breaking JJ to love when she (JJ) was serving for the set, and holding her own serve to love.

She has a freakin’ hefty serve and the leftie aspect did case JJ some issues in the second set

I also think that more of the crowd filtered back in 2nd set and the support was more evident...

Loved JJ giving Sneki a mouthful as she was consistently cheering her “Come ON JJ, Come ON”...

JJ had that MUST HOLD game at 3-3 and finally scrabbled it – it wasn’t the most convincing of holds though...

Again – JJ got broken I think serving for the match... and had to dig out 2 aces... (ACES?????) to stay ahead at 6-5.

Laura really dug deep – saving 3 MPs to take it into the TB and started it well... but JJ and rallies were to finally do for her.

I think that Laura has superb weapons in the making... and her serve is scary...

And the thing that impressed me is that she doesn’t appear overawed by the occasions... it’s all “Centre? Yeah ok then”... she’s going to be exciting to watch next time.

As for our glittery goat = I think she was very gracious in her interview and I think she knows she has to play herself into form here.

Laura was probably always going to come off worse once JJ got her into rallies because of her movement. I can’t see CanWoz causing her a whole load of issues – if Dementieva-on-one-leg can come though against her – I think JJ will do just fine... but she’s going to have to step it up to get her grass legs under her.