Tennis - Andy Murray, Laura Robson and Peter Norfolk give Great Britain a sensational start to the season in Australia
Last updated 31/01/2010 12:56:25
Andy Murray Australian Open in Melbourne
Roger Federer ended Britain’s dream of a Grand Slam victory when he beat Andy Murray in straight sets in Melbourne – and then predicted it would not be long before the Scot broke his duck.
Murray ended in pain and tears but it can only be a matter of time before he ends the 74 year wait for a major title.
He never once complained but he could not hide the pain from his strained right thigh and a recurrence of his back injury which has plagued him for the fortnight. It is not in Murray to make excuses.
He has every reason to feel optimistic, as does 16 year old Laura Robson who, like Murray, fell at the final hurdle in the Australian Open Junior Championships as she lost 1-6 6-7 to Czech Karolina Pliskova, twin sister of Krystina who helped her formulate the winning game plan.
It was not Robson at her best but proof again that she is on her way up the ladder having already annexed the Wimbledon Junior title at the age of 14 and reached the American last year.
Robson made a bold rally in the final set and threatened to take it to a third set in the breaker before serving a double fault.
Pliskova admitted that she feared if it had gone to a third set as she was also feeling shattered from the heat and the intensity of the play.
There is every reason to believe that there are better things to come from both Murray and Robson with the Scot sure to challenge in the three remaining Slams, especially America, while Robson will continue her climb up the senior rankings in not only the singles but also doubles.
She reached the quarter finals of the women’s doubles, with a couple of notable victories, along with Sally Peers and this after excellent performances with Murray in the Hopman Cup doubles in Perth.
She will be fighting off invitations from both men and women as partners for the doubles in all the majors.
But there was one British winner when the remarkable Peter Norfolk won his fourth Australian Open quad wheelchair singles by beating the American David Wagner 6-2 7-6 (7-4).
It was 49 year old Norfolk’s 17th major title and the 41st singles title of his career and ensured he stayed as undisputed world number one.
Norfolk, 49, the first Briton to win a Paralympic tennis medal with singles gold in Athens in 2004, kept his title and won doubles bronze in Beijing.