British youngsters exit at semi-final stage

Silver service: Oliver Golding has impressed on his run to the last four, but could not reach the final today
10 April 2012

It was a double disaster for Britain's junior hopefuls this afternoon as both Oliver Golding and Laura Robson crashed out at the semi-final stage in straight sets.

For Laura Robson in particular it will come as a major disappointment as she not only played at senior level here last week but won this event two years ago at the age of 14.

Robson looked out of sorts from the start and despite her growing experience was unable to take advantage of her two opportunities to serve for the set. Whether or not she had been distracted by on off court row after one portly commentator unkindly alluded to her "puppy fat" remains a mystery.

Robson was beaten by Japan's Sachie Ishizu 7-5, 7-6 who played by far the neater tennis of the two. She also played four drop shot winners to show an impressive range of shots. Had she shown fewer nerves she might have even been in the locker room sooner.

After losing the first set Robson had a real chance to haul herself back into the match when she only needed to hold two serves to win the tie-break. Unfortunately she was unable to do that. She also showed off her petulant side smashing her racket to the ground several times and she refused to wait for her opponent at the end of the game.

Of course all this is bound to prompt the usual questions about whether British players can handle pressure when a final is at stake but it must be a strength rather than a weakness to have two semi-finalists at this age level.

And so it was also exit stage left in just 54 minutes for British junior hopeful Oliver Golding whose dreams of reaching the boys' final were dashed by Australian Ben Mitchell in his 6-2, 6-2 capitulation.

To reach the semi-final the Twickenham based 16-year-old had put out top seed Jason Kubler but sadly the former child actor fluffed his lines badly on Court 12 today. He admitted that he was guilty of "trying too hard."

He said: "I wanted to play well so badly that almost I think it probably stopped me from playing well. I have worked on that [not showing frustration] believe it or not."

Golding was broken twice in the first set which lasted a mere 26 minutes. He must have felt he tennis Gods were against him when he was aced by Mitchell with a line judge called "out" and then "correction, in."

From then on the partisan crowd were treated to the full range of teenage histrionics including cracking his racket after smashing it into the ground. Golding also looked pleadingly several times at his family and friends in a nod to his theatrical past – he once starred alongside the likes of Christopher Lee and Keira Knightley.

The Londoner sent own seven double faults and after the match refused to even wait for his opponent to leave the court today. Several times he seemed to double fault by going for an angry second serve.

He rides the wave of passion in his tennis which can be a good thing but it left his opponent in no doubt that he was rattled. Anger management may be something his coaches need to work on as his game otherwise promises much.

All this meant that even early into the second set Golding looked like a beaten man and seemed powerless to shake off his frustrations in time to turn around the match.

In stark contrast Mitchell, whose thespian connection extend to his brother, who appears in Aussie soap Home and Away, kept his emotions in check. He needed to do little more than calmly go about his business and play the better tennis on the day.

British fans hoped it was not a sign of things to come for other semi-finals. Golding will definitely come good one day and take centre stage on a tennis court and will not always play the role of drama queen.

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