• WTA

Robson fights back in Madrid

Laura Robson managed to avoid a seventh first-round loss of 2013 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Ferrer fails in final to boost Nadal hopes
  
• News: Madrid woe for Wozniacki, sluggish Serena through
  
• Profile: Laura Robson

Laura Robson sealed her place in the second round of the Madrid Open after the British No. 1 overcame Magdalena Rybarikova in three sets.

The 19-year-old fell behind after her Slovakian opponent clinched the first set tiebreak 7-4. However, Robson stormed her way to the second set 6-2, and landed the third and final set 6-2 to complete victory in two hours and 13 minutes.

On Monday, Robson suffered her sixth opening-round defeat of the season when she was dumped out of the Portugal Open by Ayumi Morita, serving ten double faults in a straight sets loss.

Once again, the serve was a problem as Robson hit five double faults in the opening set against Rybarikova. The Briton later began to find her rhythm, and only served three across the second and third sets to get the better of Rybarikova and seal victory.

Meanwhile at the Portugal Open, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova collected the fifth title of her WTA career with a 7-5 6-2 victory over Carlos Suarez Navarro.

Now under the guidance of five-time grand slam champion Martin Hingis, the Russian has made a breakthrough on clay, and did so in style as she dropped only two of the last 12 games.

"I had a slow start - I was a little bit disappointed about that, it was the third match this week I started like that," Pavlyuchenkova said.

On the influence of Hingis as a coach in the final, Pavlyuchenkova said: "We had already discussed our tactics before the match and I had beaten Carla three or four times before already, but things just weren't working and I probably just needed some mental support from her. She told me to keep playing my game and be more aggressive, and other things. It really helped."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.