[Marc]

[MTVN]

Ah bugger she lost, forgot all about the final

[Marc]

[Marc]

Same

[Marc]

Three sets though....

[Black Dagger]

=(

Still, her future is bright, shame she didn't deliver after going 3-0 up in the final set.

She still has a couple of tourneys before the year is out anyway, right?

[Marc]

Laura Robson falls to Su-Wei Hsieh in dramatic WTA Guangzhou Open final.

Su-Wei Hsieh (Chinese Taipei) beat Laura Robson (Great Britain) 6-3 5-7 6-4 in final of WTA Guangzhou Open.

Laura Robson was thwarted in her bid to become Britain's first WTA Tour singles champion for 24 years in a dramatic clash with Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Su-wei in the final of the Guangzhou International Open.

The 18-year-old looked set to lose in straight sets but saved five match points and then went 3-0 up in the decider only for world number 53 Hsieh to fight back and win 6-3 5-7 6-4 in hot and humid conditions in China.

Robson was not even born the last time Britain had a singles finalist - Jo Durie in 1990 - but Sara Gomer's reign as the last British winner in 1988 remains.

It has nevertheless been a brilliant week for Robson, who has built on her superb run to the fourth round of the US Open and will climb into the world's top 70 for the first time on Monday.

The British No 1 beat three top-50 players on her way to the final, and she made the perfect start with a break of serve in the third game, Hsieh struggling to deal with the teenager's power.

But the player from Chinese Taipei is a wily opponent and, with Robson struggling for consistency on her serve and forehand, Hsieh reeled off four games in a row and quickly wrapped up the set.

Robson was given some words of advice and encouragement from new coach Zeljko Krajan and responded by winning the first two games of the second set only for Hsieh to hit back with another run of four straight games.

Hsieh was reading her opponent's game extremely well now, offering the teenager very little pace and never the same ball twice, but Robson dug very deep to save five match points on her serve at 3-5.

That still left her opponent serving for the match but the teenager had a new confidence about her and she turned the tables to win three games in a row and level the match.

It was a crushing blow for Hsieh and another example of what makes Robson so exciting, and it got better for the Londoner as she made it seven straight games to move 3-0 up in the decider.

Hsieh was not finished, though, and for the third time in the match she put together a run of four straight games, and then added a fifth.

Robson again forced her to serve it out, but this time there was no twist, Hsieh clinching victory on her sixth match point when her opponent drilled a backhand wide after two hours and 47 minutes.

There was better news, though, in Tokyo, where British number two Heather Watson beat higher-ranked Czech Andrea Hlavackova to qualify for the main draw.

~

[Marc]

Well Done Heather

[Novo]

11 Double Faults in that final.. that's nearly 3 games dropped already

[Marc]

She has some troubles with nerves that's for sure. Takes me back to doubles final with Andy at the olympics. Man she bottled that

[Black Dagger]

Originally Posted by Marc

She has some troubles with nerves that's for sure. Takes me back to doubles final with Andy at the olympics. Man she bottled that

OMG, that was just painful to watch

She'll get there some-day, this new coach has been wonders for her.

[IheartBB]

I actually got up and watched the Robson/Hsieh final.

Hsieh (who I don't recall seeing before) was sooooooo impressive for the first set and a half. Very casual shot making, painting the lines and coming up with some quite absurd drop shots and slice forehands. Laura just looked lost. I'd accepted that she had lost to the better player on the day when down 3-6, *3-5. The match quality and drama suddenly spiked from here. Some of the most exciting stuff I'd seen all year. Laura saved 3 match points in spectacular fashion, nothing Hsieh could have done. Then Hsieh missed two sitters on the next two MPs. Laura seemed inspired and all of a sudden it was one set all. A ten minute heat delay break seemed to kill the atmosphere a little but Laura came out swinging. Hsieh looked defeated. Robson was in complete control at 3-0 then fell apart. Hsieh wasn't playing anywhere near as we'll as she was in the first two sets but Laura became so erratic that it didn't matter. I was gutted for her, she looked so disappointed.

I'd have rather her lost 3-6, 3-6 to be honest.

[Marc]

Robson is up to #57 in the world

And Watson defeated Sabine Lisicki this morning 6-4 7-6

[IheartBB]

Nice win for Watson but Lisicki hasn't won a match outside of Wimbledon for 5 months.

[Marc]

Good win for her confidence though, going into this massive tournament, qualifying and then winning the first round match is good. She should savour it, she's got Maria next!

[Marc]

Watson took the first set 7-6 but lost the match 63 64 in the last two sets. good show for her

[Marc]

Ana Ivanovic

[Marc]

Another title for Radwanska on the way

[Novo]

The Best 5

1) Vika
2) Raddy
3) Rezai ( even though she's **** )
4) Zakopalova
5) Ivanovic

[Black Dagger]

Oooh Laura qualified for the Beijing Open.

Heather Watson did as well <3.

[Black Dagger]

Oh wait, they still have to make the main draw, ignore me.

[Novo]

Heather watson was getting beat 5-2 in the first set last time i checked that match

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Novo

The Best 5

1) Vika
2) Raddy
3) Rezai ( even though she's **** )
4) Zakopalova
5) Ivanovic

In what?

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Novo

Heather watson was getting beat 5-2 in the first set last time i checked that match

She won 5 games in a row then

[Marc]

Okay so Petrova has hit some random purple patch and won the title in Tokyo