• Australian Open

Robson: No excuses for early exit

ESPN staff
January 13, 2014
Robson packs her bags after her Australian Open exit © Getty Images
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Laura Robson refused to use her recent injuries struggles as an excuse after suffering a first-round exit at the Australian Open at the hands of Kirsten Flipkens.

The British No. 1 was competing in her first full match of the season after seeing her recent playing time limited by a wrist injury, and fell to a 6-3 6-0 defeat to the Belgian in just 50 minutes in Melbourne.

Robson has won just six matches since reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon and will likely drop from her current ranking of 48th in the world after her early exit.

But the 19-year-old was not dwelling on the injury and admitted she had just been outplayed by the 18th seed, and that her early exit would be motivation to turn her year around.

"I prefer not to talk about my wrist because then it's just going to become this massive excuse," Robson said.

"Really she just played better than me. Practice is a lot different to playing a proper match in slams.

"I would have loved to have had some more points beforehand, but that's what happens sometimes.

"[Losing in the first round] motivates you to do better and be as fit as possible, and that's what I'll do in the next couple of weeks.

"It's a tough one today, but everyone has those kinds of days, and you have to just come back from them stronger."

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