Robson beats Venus, next up Serena

Briton downs American in straight sets at Rome Masters.

ROME: Briton Laura Robson beat Venus Williams 6-3, 6-2 in blustery conditions at the ATP/WTA Rome Masters and now faces the second half of a one-two punch when she next plays Williams’ sister and world number one, Serena.

The top-seeded American has targeted this week and hopes to follow up her Madrid trophy from the weekend.

The 39th-ranked Robson moved through to the second round in just under 90 minutes against Venus, the 1999 Rome winner now ranked 24th.

The five-time Wimbledon winner committed six double-faults, and dropped serve five times. Robson closed it out on her third match point.

Elsewhere in women’s play, Australian Samantha Stosur came third time lucky in her pre-French Open campaign, with the ninth seed finally scoring a 2013 European clay victory 6-2, 6-3 over Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan.

Amongst the men, Potito Starace set up his seventh career meeting with Roger Federer with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback win over Czech Radek Stepanek.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.