Laura Robson: Being at the best slam of all gives me such a buzz

PUBLISHED: 23:21, 23 June 2013 | UPDATED: 23:21, 23 June 2013

It’s time for my favourite Grand Slam of the year. Yes, I’m a bit biased but Wimbledon is the best of the four. It’s such a happy place for me.

Staying at home is the best thing. I live not far from the All England Club and my mum and dad are coming back from Greece to keep me company in the house. They moved there a couple of months ago but it will be great to have them back for the Championships. It doesn’t mean I’ll be pampered, though, as I do all my own cooking and laundry these days.

I like my sleep but I have to wake up quite early on match days so I have enough time to prepare. I’m not a big breakfast fan but I do have to eat so I’ll have muesli and green tea. I’m drinking a lot of green tea at the moment because I’m trying to cut out having too much coffee.

Ace look: Robson's favourite Grand Slam of the year is Wimbledon

Of course, my wake-up time can be ruined if the drug testers knock on the door. My allotted drug-testing hour is between six and seven every morning and the testers called on me recently.
I live by myself but I didn’t know what the noise was. There was a buzzer going and I thought it was the oven or that the fridge was open or something. I was panicking, wandering round the house trying to turn everything off. I was thinking ‘what is that noise?’. Then I realised...

Once you’re down at Wimbledon, it is fantastic. I like to get to the courts early so there’s no rushing. It can get quite cramped at some other tournaments, with people on top of each other, but at Wimbledon you can chill out in your own space. I have a little area in the back where I spend some time before matches. I’ve got a couple of stretching mats there.

Part of my fitness routine means doing press-ups and chin-ups; I’m getting better at them. I used to be able to do only one chin-up but I can now do eight, which I’m pretty happy with. It’s still a work in progress, though.

Local: Robson does not stay far from the All England Club

On a match day, I have my fixed routine but I’m not very superstitious like some players. Some ask for the same practice courts religiously, for example, but I don’t mind which one I’m on. Down at the practice courts, you are likely to bump into other players and I still find it super-cool when Roger Federer says hi to me. I get all coy and say ‘Hi, Rog, hi’.

We were chatting recently in Rome about his new, short haircut. I told him I really liked it but he said the hairdresser took a bit more off than he had expected. It took him two days to get used to it but I like the new look.

As the game approaches, you have to eat about an hour and a half before. There is a lot of rice, chicken and vegetables: all that boring stuff. Then, during my matches I’ll have my gels and electrolytes.

Younger days: It is now five years since Robson won the junior Wimbledon title in 2008

After the match, you have an hour before going to the media centre, during which you shower and stretch. Then after that you go back and have a massage and ice-bath. Heather only goes up to her waist in the ice-bath but I have to go up to my neck! I stay in for 10 minutes at a time.

There are autographs, too, but I don’t mind at all, especially for kids. In the evenings, I usually watch TV: the tennis if it’s still on or something like Game of Thrones, which I love. I don’t stay at the club — once I’ve done press and physio I get straight out of there. I don’t go up to the village during the tournament either. It’s a bit too busy up there. I prefer the quiet life.

Laura Robson, who was talking to Alex Kay, was introducing the new Wilson Steam 99S spin racket as part of brand’s grassroots programme.

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Monday, 24 June 2013

Laura Robson: Being at the best slam of all gives me such a buzz

Laura Robson: Being at the best slam of all gives me such a buzz