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Robson 'too honest' in approach

Laura Robson has moved up to 57th in the world rankings after her latest exploits © PA Photos

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Laura Robson has been deemed as "perhaps a little too honest" in her assessment of Hsieh Su-wei, after she lost Saturday's Guangzhou Open final.

Robson reached her first WTA final in Guangzhou but was defeated 6-3 5-7 6-4, after which Hsieh's coach Paul McNamee heaped praise on the Brit's development but also questioned her open and honest appraisal of his player.

"After the semi-final, Su-wei told me she had heard Laura say that she didn't like playing her because of her style and I immediately told her that she had to use that as a positive. Perhaps Laura was a little too honest in her assessment," McNamee was quoted as saying by the Times.

He also went on to praise the strides made by Robson this year, which have seen the 18-year-old take a mixed doubles silver medal at the Olympics and become the British No.1, in addition to reaching her first WTA final.

"Laura is such a different player these days. The two practised in Nottingham after the French Open this year and the difference in Laura between then and now is chalk and cheese," McNamee said. "She is fitter and stronger, she was out-hitting [Kim] Clijsters at the US Open and has to be one of the hardest hitters on the tour right now.

"With the game she has, she is a top-20 player of the future," added McNamee, who also gave credit to Robson's coach Zeljko Krajan, the Croat who has been with Robson since just after the Olympics.

"You cannot do what she has done at 18 unless you have weapons and we can all see those. But I also give great credit to her coach. Everyone needs the right person and I believe Laura has found him."

Speaking after her defeat to Hsieh, Robson said the short-term target was to break into the top 50 after she improved her ranking to 57th following her exploits in Guangzhou. Next up is the China Open in Beijing.

"With a few more good wins I should be in the top 50 so I've got to keep working hard," Robson said. "I think I'm playing pretty well, I feel confident at the moment even though I lost. I've got qualifiers in Beijing, and it's going to be tough there as it is one of the top tournaments of the year."

Men's Rankings: 1. Roger Federer (SWI), 2. Novak Djokovic (SRB), 3. Andy Murray (GBR), 4. Rafael Nadal (SPA), 5. David Ferrer (SPA), 6. Tomas Berdych (CZE), 7. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), 8. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG), 9. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB), 10. John Isner (USA).

Women's Rankings: 1. Victoria Azarenka (BLR), 2. Maria Sharapova (RUS), 3. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), 4. Serena Williams (USA), 5. Petra Kvitova (CZE), 6. Angelique Kerber (GER), 7. Sara Errani (ITA), 8. Li Na (CHI), 9. Sam Stosur (AUS), 10. Marion Bartoli (FRA).

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