LAURA Robson showed her battling qualities to stay in the Aegon Ilkley Trophy tonight.

The British left-hander, who is fighting to re-establish herself in the sport after recurring wrist problems, lost the opening set to Russian teenager Anna Blinkova but then clawed her way back to win the first-round match 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

Blinkova gave glimpses of the talent that took her to the Wimbledon girls’ singles final two years ago but doubts seemed to creep in after she dropped her serve in calamitous fashion at 3-4 in the second set.

She served three double faults and framed another shot into the stand.

Nevertheless, she took the set to a tie-break, which she lost 7-5, and there was added drama when Robson was a break up at 2-1 in the final set when rain forced a short delay.

Robson, who was guilty of unforced errors early in the contest, then took charge and it was the Russian who was making the mistakes as the left-handed Briton quickly wrapped up matters.

Gabi Taylor could not make it two Britons in the second round, however, as she lost 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to the experienced Magdalena Rybarikova.

“It was great to play here and great experience,” said Taylor, who has been handed a wild card into next week’s Wimbledon qualifying competition.

Robson apart, British interest now switches to the men’s singles, which involves Marcus Willis and Jay Clarke.

The Aegon Ilkley Trophy is virtually a sell-out for its final four days.

Tournament director Charlie Maunder said: “We have sold out today, tomorrow, apart from a few ground passes, Saturday and Sunday.”

The tournament, which is in its third year and has trebled its prize money for men and doubled it for women since 2016, has something for everybody, says Maunder.

“If it’s doubles you want, we have Leander Paes (winner of eight grand slams in men’s doubles and ten in mixed doubles), if it’s women we have Laura Robson and top seed Oceane Dodin (world No 47) and if it is men that you want we have the Britons, including Marcus Willis, Jurgen Melzer and Paul-Henri Mathieu.

“You never get nine days in a row without rain in Ilkley, and there were a few drops Tuesday and Wednesday, but we have started well and the courts are playing fantastic – better than ever.

“It is also true that you are watching not only stars of the future but stars of the present.”

ATP Challenger supervisor Carl Baldwin said of the field at Ilkley: “People might not have watched these players on the telly but they are seriously good players.”