Maria Sharapova on BBC One: "Laura started off so well, going for her shots and serving well. I couldn't get too many looks on the firsdt serve but I hung on in there and started to play better. It's understandable the crowd is on her side, she's young and moving up the rankings so they should be behind her."
1459: Ghastly moment of silence as Robson's final shot of the championship spirals into the warm summer air and wide, and then an explosion of noise - on their feet all round, a standing ovation for both the players. The result we expected, but not the manner. Splendid ding-dong.
Robson 6-7 3-6 Sharapova She'll still need to break the mighty Sharapova serve to stay in the match, but what a start that is - guns blazing forehand right into the corner, Shara screeching her dismay. The Russian to the net - oh, simple backhand into the tape, break point! Bedlam. Robson waits, bouncing on the baseline, ponytail hopping - brutal serve, opportunity squashed. Wonderful exchange from the baseline, both players throwing everything at it - oh, Robson the first to blink, and that's too good from Shara - she's hung on, and Robson is a goner...
Robson 6-7 3-5 Sharapova * Robson could have stumbled. She could have fallen, rolled over and relished the plaudits. Instead, she's tearing into a shocked Sharapova like a woman who still believes she can win. Brilliant service game, the crowd responding to every point, the hope starting to bloom in the darkest corners.
* Robson 6-7 2-5 Sharapova Or is it? Gutsy hurrah at the death from Robson, clattering two forehands away - three points for a revitalising break-back, and at no point has she lost her self-belief. One saved with a lucky clip off the net-cord, the second... taken! Robson has the guts of her footballing midfielder namesake, and on Henman Hill they're punching the air.
Robson 6-7 1-5 Sharapova * What can Robbo do to haul back this runaway train? That ace is a start, but Sharapova is relentless here - the pace of the groundstrokes has cranked up, the scream-grunts following suit. Wonderful backhand cross-court clean winner off the Robson first serve for deuce, swiftly followed by the denouement. The end nigh.
* Robson 6-7 1-4 Sharapova Sharapova a woman transformed - battering serves, not a glimmer of the weaknesses that bedevilled her in the first set. She holds to love, and a resigned silence has settled over the once-buoyant crowd.
Joe via text to 81111 "It's only Laura Robson's movement that lets her down. She serves and returns well, forehand's big, backhand's solid. Can she hold it together?"
Robson 6-7 1-3 Sharapova * Hmm. Rather than wounding Sharapova, that last break-back seems to have riled her, like a sleepy tiger being poked with a stick in the zoo - stepping in to the Robson serve, thrashing backhand winners away deep, breaking back to love. The final winner is perhaps the best of the lot - double-fisted drive down the line, over the highest point of the net, fizzing into the final few blades of grass in the court corner.
* Robson 6-7 1-2 Sharapova Oohs and aahs from Mama Kathy, and Shara has lost her concentration - big reply to push the Russian back, a skip in towards the net, a millimetre-perfect forehand away. Break back, and the crowd rise to her. Are these two playing as if 248 placves separate them in the world rankings? Mais non.
Robson 6-7 0-2 Sharapova * Mmm, that is lovely from Robson, a sliced drop-shot dying on the grass. But she's in trouble here - that power from her experienced opponent is too much, and her movement can't cope with it. Break point, and suddenly this feels like a key game... ach, net-cord from Shara, and as so often Robson over-compensates to lift it long. Break gone, and that route up the mountain has just got even steeper.
John the TV salesman in John Lewis via text to 81111 "Most days my job isn't the most interesting but during Wimbledon it has its perks."
* Robson 6-7 0-1 Sharapova Robson grimaces at the changeover - she played out of her skin in that first set, and with the mini-break in the tie-break she may not have a better chance. Fearsome power from Shara on that cross-court backhand - what a weapon that is.
* denotes next server FIRST SET Robson 6-7 Sharapova Lucky net-cord from Robson, and she could be in here - no, classy readjustment from the Russian, flicking a forehand up and into the corner to leave Robson wrong-footed. Big serve for 3-2 on serve, bigger double fault from Shara to go 2-4 down. Now then. She has a chance here - forehand gap, but she's there a fraction of a second too late. 4-3. Shara onto the line - the very back of the line - and she has the mini-break back. Too good from Shara, the backhand cross-court giving her the advantage now: 4-5. Backhand dragged marginally wide by Robson - a large chunk of the crowd thought that was in - and now Maria will serve for the set - second serve fast down the middle, and Robson can only find the tape with her riposte...
Robson 6-6 Sharapova Merciless from Sharapova. Not even a hint of a notion of a whisper of a chance for the Briton on the first three points - 40-0 - but then a sudden switch - big hitting from Robson, the crowd urging her on, back to 40-30. Oh, waste - second serve, a slow kicker, but Robson doesn't read it at all and can only find the net. We'll have a 'breaker...
Robson 6-5 Sharapova * Shara does well to adjust her feet there - drilled backhand into the corner, 30-30. Robson being pulled this way and that now, another worried silence descending over no.1 - deuce. Splendid drop volley from the Brit - gutsy to throw that in there at this stage - and when Shara top-edges beyond the baseline, Robson is back in front. Super effort from the rank outsider - her mother Cathy there in the crowd, beaming like Doris Day.
* Robson 5-5 Sharapova Here we go - Robson on the run, but what a forehand drive that is! Winner down the line, punters whooping and clapping overhead. And another! Shara will challenge, but that's 30-30. Ach, backhand looping up and into the tramlines, and a forehand flayed wide. Nip and tuck, neck and neck.
Robson 5-4 Sharapova * An ominous hush as Robson goes 0-15 down, but that's super serving and crisp striking of the ball - a rattle through the remainder, huge roars from the packed seats. Can she now break Shara for the second time this afternoon to snatch the set?
Former Grand Slam winner Tracy Austin on BBC TV: "Laura doesn't want to make errors but she needs to pull the trigger a little bit more when she's in the driving seat. She needs to go a bit bigger when she has the chance."
* Robson 4-4 Sharapova Such a high ball-toss from Sharapova, and accuracy at last on the serve too - 40-15 as Robson can only frame away towards the crouching ball-boys, and a hold without a single double-fault for the first time all match. Big pressure about to land on the Robson serve.
Robson 4-3 Sharapova * First sign of trouble for Robson. Shara is showing signs of finding her range, and Robson is struggling with the power of those groundstrokes - break-back point, blistering backhand out wide for Robson's forehand, and she can only clatter that into the net. Near silence around the court, broken only by a squealing grunt of celebration from Shara.
Kevin in Wigan via text to 81111 "If Laura Robson wins today they will have to rename the hill outside Centre Court "Robson Green"!
* Robson 4-2 Sharapova Sharapova, I'll be honest, is all over the place on her serve. Another double-fault, and that one was long by at least a metre. It's only her groundstrokes that are keeping her in it. Fascinating contest now.
Robson 4-1 Sharapova * Mr Henman Snr there too - and a rapid hold of her own from Robson. Robson won the junior title here in 2008, of course, but only four players have won both girls' and ladies' championships at Wimbledon.
* Robson 3-1 Sharapova There we go - quick hold, Sir Trevor McDonald there in the posh seats relishing every second.
Robson 3-0 Sharapova * Rampant delight in the crowd, and why not - the start of fantasy for the world 245, holding serve to 15 as Shara gets a strop on with the umpire. All working out rather beautifully - but Shara will surely improve, won't she?
Tom in Liverpool via text to 81111 "Why is it that Robson can play without the excessive grunting that Sharapova insists on? It is hurting my ears."
* Robson 2-0 Sharapova * Both players in white sun-visors here, Sharapova favouring a strappy all-in-one, Robson's more cap-sleeved with additional bright pink trim. Super forehand down the line for 15-30, Shara hurried out wide - two break points for the Brit, and the No.1 Court crowd are all over this. Big first serve saves the first; fearsome backhand cross court the second. Groans from the stands. Robson takes advantage of a poor second serve to stay alive, and then again as she takes one early. Double fault from Maria, third break point... Double fault again! You don't think...
Robson 1-0 Sharapova * At 17, Sharapova was winning the Wimbledon ladies' title. Here, at the same age, Robson is looking for her first win over a top 50 player. Crisp piece of serve-volleying for 30-30, but that's dragged wide - deuce. As feared, Shara's fast, flat forehand is already causing problems for the Brit, but the latter's slicing leftie serve is also doing some damage. Deuce again, advantage Russia as a forehand is pushed long. Oooh - is that on the line? Yup - relieved applause, deuce again. Uh-oh - double fault from Robson, Shara bouncing around on the byline, but a big serve and follow-up forehand on the nexy two points put her back in charge. Shara from the baseline... long, and Robson is on the board. Gulp.
* denotes next server 1300: Let's make no bones about it - Laura Robson has a mountain to climb here on Court no.1. She only has one previous win in a Grand Slam match, and that in the first round two days ago. One player here is ranked 254 in the world, the other six. Hardest yards.
1253: Balmy sunshine, high summer, a plucky British outsider to cheer. Any complaints? Good.
All times in BST.
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