Laura Robson is through to the last four of the Australian Open girls' singles after her quarter-final opponent retired hurt.
Injured opponent gives British girl reprieve
Wimbledon junior champion Laura Robson is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open girls' singles.
The 15-year-old Briton had to rely on a bit of luck to win her quarter-final match when her Romanian opponent Elena Bogdan was forced to retire after rolling her ankle.
Robson took the first set but was down 5-1 in the second when Bogdan suffered the injury. Play continued for one more game until it was clear the number four seed could not carry on and was told to stop by tournament officials.
Robson was adamant the decision to call a halt to the match and award her a victory at 6-3 2-5 was the correct one.
Unlucky
"After the second set we were due to be suspended anyway (because the extreme heat policy had been invoked) so I'm sure she would have loved to have that break," said Robson.
"But to me it seemed like she couldn't even walk or serve or do anything, so it would have been tough for her to play.
"It was really unlucky that it happened to her. She was really sad so I felt really bad for her."
For the second day in a row, temperatures in Melbourne reached above 40 degrees Celsius. Robson admitted to struggling with the heat as the match progressed.
"I was struggling in that second set because I could barely breathe and it felt really muggy," she added.
"It's unfortunate for her, because I think if it had gone to a third set she would have had a very good chance to win."
The Australian-born fifth seed will face Noppawan Lertcheewakarn in the last four, the same girl she faced in the final of last year's Wimbledon.
However fellow Briton Heather Watson has been knocked out after she lost to Russian Ksenia Pervak 6-3 7-5.
