Robson reaches Aussie Open final

AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Venue: Melbourne Park Date: 19 January-1 February
Coverage: Girls' singles final, 0200 GMT Saturday, Radio 5 Live

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Robson is the fifth seed in Melbourne

Britain's Laura Robson remains on track for her second junior Grand Slam title after beating Noppawan Lertcheewakarn to reach the Australian Open final.

The 15-year-old came through a tight first set against the top seed before wrapping up a 6-4 6-3 win.

The match - a repeat of the 2008 Wimbledon final which Robson also won - was delayed by two hours to allow the temperature to drop from a peak of 44C.

Robson will meet Russian third seed Ksenia Pervak in Saturday's final.

It will take place on Rod Laver Arena and Radio 5 Live will have live coverage from 0200 GMT.

Should she win that match, Robson will become the junior world number one.

"I probably won't get another week like this for a while in terms of weather," said Robson.

"It's been hard dealing with it but I got through it, so that's good. I'm just going to prepare as well as I can (for the final). I went in the ice bath again tonight.

"There's not really much I can do if I'm completely out of energy but I'll just try to prepare as best as I can."

And of the coverage back in the UK, the Londoner said: "I don't know how many people are interested really.

"But, well, from how many people watched the Wimbledon final, there might be a couple people willing to stay up.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Robson's win

"Then I have a feeling that the Rod Laver Arena won't be completely jam-packed like Court One was."

Pervak ended the hopes of Guernsey's Heather Watson in Thursday's quarter-finals before beating Ana Bogdan in the other semi-final.

For the third day in a row, temperatures in Melbourne peaked at 44C and organisers took the decision to suspend matches on the outside courts.

When play eventually began at 5pm local time, Robson made a sluggish start, going 3-0 down before rallying to take the first set.

She carried that momentum into the second, racing to a 4-0 lead.

Lertcheewakarn twice broke Robson's serve to hold up her opponent but Robson served out the win at the second attempt.

From how many people watched the Wimbledon final, there might be a couple people willing to stay up Laura Robson

"I didn't start so well," said Robson. "I felt really out of energy throughout the whole match really, so it was good to get through it.

"I think throughout the last couple of days, I've just been getting more and more tired.

"Then today I was just waiting around for so long. So I think that was the problem really."

Pervak, Robson's opponent in the final, is two years older than the Briton and attempted to qualify for the women's draw of the Australian Open.

The Russian lost to 38-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm in the first round.