‘Emotional’ Robson glad to be back after injury

Laura Robson made her competitive return from hip injury yesterday but admitted she was “scared of being terrible” on her comeback.

Robson beat Jessica Pieri, of Italy, in the first round of qualifying at the W60 ITF World Tennis Tour event in Shrewsbury.

Her Italian opponent retired at 6-1, 1-0 down , but Robson lost 6-2, 7-6 to Jessika Ponche, of France, in the next round to bow out with only £95 prize money.

Robson, though, was just pleased to be back after undergoing a hip operation last summer.

Former junior Wimbledon champion Robson, the former world 27 now down to 511, told the Mirror: “I didn’t know how I was going to feel. I am quite happy with how I held up.

“After my match this morning, I was a bit emotional. I was so scared I was going to be terrible and I was surprisingly better than I expected. It was nice to back on court.

“I enjoyed it out there and think I competed pretty well. I didn’t play badly.”

Robson is confirmed to play in Glasgow next week as she continues her comeback and may still end up in the main draw in Shropshire as a lucky loser.

Last summer Robson went under the knife for a second time after previously having wrist surgery in 2014. The 25-year-old left-hander, a wildcard in Shrewsbury, added: “With a second round of surgery, it is quite difficult to find the motivation to do the rehab all over again.

“I am really happy I have made it back to a tournament. With any injury, you question whether you will be able to come back. I knew I had a very good surgeon who I totally believed in. I love playing which was the reason I got into the game in the first place. I haven’t lost that and that kind of got me through the tough rehab days. ”

Robson added that her injury was in no way similar to Andy Murray’s, so she was unable to predict when he might return. She aded that it is too soon to predict whether she would be back at Wimbledon this summer.