• WTA

Historic win for Robson in China

ESPN staff
September 21, 2012
Laura Robson won a silver medal at London 2012 in mixed doubles © Getty Images
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Laura Robson became the first British woman since Jo Durie in 1990 to reach the final of a WTA event by beating Sorana Cirstea in the semi-final of the Guangzhou International.

Robson booked a final with Su-Wei Hsieh, who is also unseeded, by triumphing 6-4 6-2 against third seed Sorana Cirstea in Guangzhou.

The 18-year-old Brit has built on the momentum she generated with her giant-killing run to the fourth round of the US Open. In that sequence she recorded shock triumphs over Kim Clijsters and Li Na - both grand-slam champions.

Cirstea is 44 places above Robson in the world rankings, but she closed that chasm with a destructive performance built on her meaty groundstrokes.

In the first meeting between the players, Robson decimated the Cirstea second serve, winning 24 of the 34 points contested there and snatching six breaks.

Robson's serve was far from untouchable - she surrendered three breaks - but she always had the decisive advantage in the rallies.

Hsieh reached the final with a 6-1 3-6 6-0 success over Urszula Radwanska.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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