Millionairre-To-Be Robson Is On An Allowance

Written by: Staff on 19th November 2012

Millionairre-To-Be Robson Is On An Allowance

epa03381140 Laura Robson of Great Britain serves to Samantha Stosur of Australia during their match on the seventh day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 02 September 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

Britain’s Laura Robson has only earned half a million dollars from her career so far, although far greater riches seem in store for the 18 year-old British player who earned Chris Evert and Billie-Jean King as fans as she beat Grand Slam champions Kim Clijsters and Li Na at the US Open.

With the marketing experience of the Octagon – recently appointed by no less a tennis star than Martina Navratilova – working as her agents, it’s safe to assume Robson’s fortune will be considerabe before too long. But for the time being financial austerity is the Robson way.

“At the moment I don’t have any access to my money,” Robson told the Sunday Times. “My Dad (Andrew, an oil company executive with the Royal Dutch Shell) takes care of all that and he’s not stupid. Right now it’s all off limits to me completely.

“The other day we had a meeting at the bank and were told 30% of footballers end up being bankrupt. So I think my Dad is being very very cautious, not that I would ever go crazy. You just have to be aware it’s a short career and do as much as you can to save for as long as possible.”

Robson did add that currently her father gives her a monthly allowance and at the end of the competitive year felt sufficiently generous to award his daughter a bonus. “I spent it almost straight away on clothes,” she admitted with a giggle.

Yet that is the extent of extravagance. According to Laura, she has no need for a car despite passing her driving test almost a year ago. “Since then I have driven only once,” she admitted. “It is so easy to take the Tube from where I live in Wimbledon.” Questions about property and a place of her own, are volleyed with away with a similar homely admission. “I would like that eventually but not for another few years because I like my Mum’s cooking.”

Robson’s travel budget is also restrained. Yesterday she flew, with coach Zeljko Krajan and fitness trainer Dejan Bojanovic, to Florida for warm weather training at the Evert Academy in Boca Raton. The Croatian duo previously worked with world no.1 Dinara Safina but now they must accept luxuries like business class travel are off limits. “I’m paying for the flights and my Dad says it’s definitely economy or coach,” Robson said. “Does Zelko mind? I think he does but he just has to deal with it.

“I have the gift of being able to sleep anywhere. Even in cars to the airport, I’m fast asleep. So I don’t mind economy. I like window seats and don’t get up for about eight hours. On the way to China I slept for a solid 12 hours in economy. Zelko was so jealous because he was taking sleeping tablets and everything, and still couldn’t get to sleep. And it will be the same when we go to Australia in the New Year.”

Topics: Billie Jean King, British tennis news, Chris Evert, Kim Clijsters, Laura Robson, Li Na, Sports