London, July 7 : Having won the junior girls' tennis championship at Wimbledon last week, Britain's Laura Robson is set to become the richest tennis star in British sporting history.
Having won the junior girls' tennis championship at Wimbledon last week, Britain's Laura Robson is set to become the richest tennis star in British sporting history.
The 14 year old, who won the junior championship on Saturday, could earn up to 50-million pounds, experts predicted, and according to The Sun, she could end up dwarfing top British earner Tim Henman, who is thought to have made around 16 million pounds in his career so far.
On Sunday, Laura looked smart in a black dress and trendy pink heels at the party held for all Wimbledon champions in London's swanky Intercontinental Hotel.
The dinner and cabaret started late after Spaniard Rafael Nadal completed an epic five-set victory over Swiss Roger Federer in the men's final, denying the latter a sixth consecutive title on the hallowed grass courts.
Laura's mentor Carl Maes, the head of women at the Lawn Tennis Association, said: "We just need to make sure she has every opportunity for her talent to blossom. If it does, her career could see her earning up to five million pounds a year by the age of 25."
Laura is expected to get a wild card entry into the senior tournament next year, and she has reportedly vowed to "take down" reigning champion Venus Williams.
Yesterday her family and management were fielding calls from sponsors keen to have her advertise their products. Soft drink giants
Robinsons were first to express interest, and could offer a deal worth a million pounds a year.
Laura's agent said her family is keen to avoid the limelight. She is planning no interviews until her next Grand Slam - the Australian Open - in January.
A down-to-earth Laura insists that life will go on as normal.
"I'm going to go back to training and then the same old. You can never stop improving, so I'm just going to keep practicing the way I have," The Sun quoted her, as saying.
Laura is the first Brit to get a singles title since Annabel Croft won the girls' in 1984. Virginia Wade was the last Brit to win the senior title in 1977, and she warned against Laura being placed in overdrive.(ANI)
© 2007 ANI
