'Flat' Robson loses in Australian Open qualifying
Great Britain’s Laura Robson lost in straight sets in the first round of qualifying at the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old former British number one, ranked 222 in the world after three years of wrist problems, lost 6-2 6-4 to Amandine Hesse of France.
“I had a weird thought just before I went on court – I thought last time I played a match here I then didn’t play for 18 months,” she said.
“It maybe wasn’t the best thing to happen before a match and I felt flat.”
She added: “I just never got going, it felt like my feet were stuck in mud.”
The left-hander, who reached the main draw of the US Open in August, has now lost seven consecutive matches and will return to Europe to play on the second-tier Challenger tour.
“It doesn’t take much to change it around,” the former Wimbledon junior champion said.
“Before the US Open I won one match and didn’t have much confidence and then as soon as you win two matches, you think ‘maybe I’m not as bad as I thought’.”
Robson’s compatriot Tara Moore, 24, also lost to end British interest in the qualifying section of the women’s draw.
Moore, the world number 165, was beaten 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 6-1 by Hungary’s Dalma Galfi.
The first Grand Slam tournament of the year starts in Melbourne on Monday.