RESURGENT ROBSON TURNS TO SWEDISH SUPERCOACH
LAURA ROBSON is hoping to build on the success of winning her third title by teaming up with the coaching operation of renowned Swede Magnus Norman. Robson, who won the ITF title in Kurume, Japan, on Sunday, is set for a trial period with Norman’s Good to Great Academy, which is based in a suburb of Stockholm. The development was confirmed by family members. Former world No 2 Norman’s highest profile players are Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils, while he and his team have worked in the past with Grigor Dimitrov. In Japan Robson was working under the guidance of the Lawn Tennis Association’s Jeremy Bates, but she has been without a regular coach since a trial period with German former player Dieter Kindlmann did not work out. It has been a trying few years for Robson since wrist surgery in 2014, but she is up to 169 in the world with the chance to improve that during her favoured grass-court season. Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who is among Robson’s most high-profile scalps, is expected to be back at SW19 this year after the horrendous stabbing assault she suffered at home less than seven months ago. A spokesperson for Kvitova said she will make a lastminute decision over whether to enter Friday’s draw for next week’s French Open, but that she is on track to make a comeback on the grass. That would mean playing one of the pre-Wimbledon events that will now feature Victoria Azarenka, who is also coming back ahead of schedule after giving birth. Meanwhile, Tennis Australia supremo Craig Tiley has emerged as a contender to replace Michael Downey, who is departing after Wimbledon, as chief executive of the LTA. South African Tiley, who is also the director of the Australian Open, has elevated the Grand Slam to a level of prestige that has never been higher. In French Open qualifying, Heather Watson beat Russia’s Anastasiya Komardina 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the first round yesterday but Naomi Broady lost 6-4, 6-2 to Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann.