Top coach Nick Bollettieri has insisted that Laura Robson can become a force in the women's game but warned she must work on her second serve and improve her movement around the court.

Bollettieri nurtured the careers of stars including Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova and has also coached the Williams sisters, the favourites for this year's Wimbledon title.

The American was on Court Two yesterday as Robson slipped to a narrow three-set defeat against Daniela Hantuchova, a former pupil, and although the 15-year-old's valiant effort was undermined by serving 14 double faults, Bollettieri insists Robson has what it takes to forge a pro career.

“Even though it let her down a few times, that serve will be a big asset in the next few years,” said the 77-year-old tennis guru.

“She goes for it on the second serve, which you have to. That's what Federer always said to me Nick, my second serve is what's made me'.

“I question her movement a little bit. I believe she will have to work on that and learn how to anticipate a little better, to make up for the lack of movement that she has.

“She showed a lot of what is going to be required to be a top player. Did they get it wrong by giving her the wild card? Absolutely not. Laura has a very bright future. She has a lot of the traits that are needed to be a heck of a player but she's got work to do yet.”

Bollettieri claims the world No448 possesses many of the attributes which took Martina Hingis to the top of the game. Hingis was just 14 when she made her first Wimbledon women's singles appearance in 1995 and she went on to win five grand slam titles in the late 1990's.

The Swiss Miss' broke a host of records — including becoming the youngest slam winner of all-time when winning the women's doubles at SW19 in 1996 — before ligament injuries in both ankles forced her into retirement aged just 22.

A comeback was halted in 2007 after she tested positive for cocaine but the enduring image of Hingis is of a youngster with ruthless determination and a tactical dexterity that offset her inability to match the power of the top players.

Robson played an intelligent match in defeat yesterday and Bollettieri believes he saw enough to draw comparisons with Hingis.

“I was very impressed,” he said. “She handled herself extremely well, being 15 years old. But remember she has to handle herself, she put herself in that position by being a player who deserved a wild card.

“It reminded me of many years ago at the French Open, when I was with former player Mary Carillo and watching this young girl — she was 13.

“Mary said, Tell me about this girl Nick'. I was saying, She's got the nose of an elephant, she's going to be a champion.

“Mary said, Nick how can you say that?'. I said She smells the court, she knows where to be and she controls herself'. The player was Martina.” Robson will defend the junior singles' title she won last year when that event begins next week and she recognises that improvements need to be made.

“I can still get stronger and get fitter,” she said. “Like in that third set I got a bit tired, so that's another thing we'll work on after these couple weeks.

“My coach is really smart on which shots to hit and when and everything. That's what I struggled with when I started with him. I just kind of banged the ball again and again in the same place.
“I basically always hit it down the line. But now we've really worked on mixing it up and I think that's really helped.”

Elsewhere today, No 19 seed Na Li of China reached round two with a 7-6, 6-0 victory over Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan.