Three-time champion Kim Clijsters will play Laura Robson in the second round of the US Open after the 18-year-old British number three beat Samantha Crawford in straight sets at Flushing Meadows.
Robson completed a 6-3 7-6 victory against Crawford and will now take on Clijsters, who is playing in her final professional tournament.
Robson, who is 11/2 with bookmaker to beat the Belgian, said after her victory against 17-year-old Crawford: “She was really tough. I’d never seen her play before. For the first few games I was just trying to stick with her basically because she seemed to rip every shot that I hit.”
Meanwhile, British number one Heather Watson slumped to a 6-2 6-3 defeat to the ninth seed and former French Open champion Li Na, who is 11/1 to go on and win the US Open.
