Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic’s ‘optimistic’ information, the ‘sunshine double’ and pleasure for Queen’s – Laura Robson column

In her newest Sky Sports activities column, Laura Robson reacts to Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic extending their teaching partnership, appears forward to the ‘sunshine double’ of Indian Wells and the Miami Open, and offers an perception right into a busy few weeks in her position as event director for the return of ladies’s tennis to Queen’s…

Andy Murray persevering with with Novak Djokovic is de facto optimistic information. Andy has 4 younger youngsters and doubtless would not wish to do all of those weeks on the highway now that he is simply stopped taking part in, so I am positive that after the Australian Open, it simply took them a minute to determine their schedules.

I feel it was a case of selecting and selecting which tournaments they companion up at, and it appears like he will be at Indian Wells and Miami arising in March.

It must be actually fascinating to see how their partnership evolves, as a result of it appeared like they have been simply attending to know one another and belief one another with the sport plan and techniques. I feel it’s essential construct that communication with any coach that you simply begin with, and it takes a little bit of time, so the truth that they’ve given themselves one other few months makes plenty of sense.

The ‘sunshine double’ of Indian Wells and Miami could be very, very powerful for any participant to drag off, as a result of it’s very reverse circumstances – despite the fact that it is two hard-court tournaments. It is a actually lengthy stint – each occasions are 12 days – and it is only a large change conditions-wise, to go from one to the opposite as Miami is so sizzling and humid, in comparison with being within the desert of Palm Springs.

Indian Wells, particularly, I all the time struggled at, as a result of it is a lot slower than you assume. It would not all the time favour the Brits, who on the whole, choose barely quicker circumstances and a pacier arduous courtroom that performs extra vigorous, since you get a bit extra out of your pictures.

Katie Boulter is coming off a foot harm, so she’s hoping to be match match once more for it, whereas Emma Raducanu has been out within the Center East making an attempt to construct on the shape we noticed from her in Australia. She is competing very well and ensuring she’s making an attempt to do the appropriate issues on the courtroom.

I do not assume she’s in any rush, actually, to make use of somebody new, only for the sake of it. It has to make sense for her and it must be the appropriate particular person. There’s not too many wonderful coaches round who can journey full-time, so choices are fairly restricted. You would not wish to go into a brand new partnership with out 100 per cent confidence.

One other ATP remaining for Jack Draper, he had a couple of weeks of coaching again in London after the Australian Open to attempt to get again to 1 hundred per cent bodily, and it exhibits with the shape we have seen this week in Qatar. Some high quality wins and a troublesome remaining towards Rublev [losing 7-5 5-7 6-1} but a week he can be really chuffed with.

The young guns are firing!

I’ve also been very happy to see Joao Fonseca and Mirra Andreeva doing so well on tour recently. They were my two picks at the start of the year to have breakout seasons, so it’s going well for me so far – although we’re only in February.

Andreeva is still only 17, but I feel like we have known her for a long time already. We’re just waiting for that super special Grand Slam result from her, and it feels like this is the year for it. I think clay is an incredible surface for her, it allows her to show off her movement and what a great athlete she is. Let’s see what happens in Paris!

Fonseca, meanwhile, got everyone excited in Australia, because he plays such a big brand of tennis for an 18-year-old – his forehand is absolutely huge – and the shot-making is what gets people fired up. It was just an amazing week for him to get his first ATP title in Argentina this month, and hopefully he can build on that momentum going forward.

I first saw him play in person [when tournament director] at Nottingham final 12 months. He ended up dropping to Billy Harris in a match that began on grass and completed indoors… We ended up having to maneuver them because it was the one second spherical that hadn’t completed but because of horrific British climate. After what was a troublesome day for him he nonetheless got here and stated thanks to everybody that labored for the event.

He is bought a very good head on his shoulders, and also you wish to see somebody like that do effectively. So since final summer time, I have been a giant fan, and have been hoping to see that breakthrough.

Taking on as Queen’s membership girls’s event director…

I have been busy lately with my new position as event director for the primary girls’s event again at Queen’s since 1973, which might be a part of the lead as much as Wimbledon this 12 months. It is arduous to know what to anticipate. Clearly, I’ve bought Nottingham to match it to, however as a brand-new event, it simply seems like there’s that rather more work to be put in.

The boys’s occasion has been operating for thus lengthy, and we wish to carry one thing particular person to the ladies’s occasion, ensuring that it is bought its personal id in some methods, its personal character and vibe. We have finalised plenty of issues: the match schedule plan and some participant names have been launched this week, which had a brilliant optimistic response.

We have got Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Daria Kasatkina, Boulter and Raducanu introduced thus far, with a couple of extra to return within the pipeline. It is thrilling for the women, who’ve seen the lads’s occasion on TV or have heard concerning the historical past of the membership and the custom.

That makes my job very straightforward in a approach. You needn’t persuade individuals a lot to return and play… and I feel the entry checklist is de facto going to replicate that.

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