Robson keeps British flag flying

Laura Robson, the last British woman standing at Wimbledon, made it through to the third round for the first time today, beating Colombian qualifier Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets.

Robson, 19, the world number 38, traded breaks with her 117-ranked opponent in the first set but rolled her way through the second to win 6-4, 6-1 in 73 minutes before an ecstatic Centre Court crowd.

She faces New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic in the third round on Saturday.

“It’s a big win for me, any match on Centre Court is a big one. It was a great atmosphere out there and the roof being closed just made it louder. It was very exciting,” Robson said.

“I was kind of feeling nervous, but luckily I’ve played on Centre a couple of times before.”

Australian-born Robson, who lived in Singapore until she was six, was the only British woman to make it to the second round.

Robson’s Grand Slam best was reaching the fourth round at the 2012 US Open, the first British woman since Jo Durie in 1991 to reach that stage of a major.

Robson and Duque-Marino were due to play on Court 2 on Thursday before rain stopped play for the day.

The match was moved under the Centre Court roof, though the rain later cleared up enough for play on the outside courts.

Duque-Marino broke in the third game but Robson broke straight back and broke again for a 4-2 lead in the first set. After holding serve Robson had a set point in the next game but her 23-year-old opponent held.

After seeing out the set, she raced through the second, breaking in the second game and did not look back from there.

The match was watched from the Royal Box by England Test cricket captain Alastair Cook, and two of his predecessors, Andrew Strauss and Geoffrey Boycott.

England’s 1966 World Cup-winning footballer Bobby Charlton, the Manchester United legend, was also in the crowd.