Upbeat Robson ready to face Wozniacki and McIlroy at the French Open

Published: 18:29 EDT, 25 May 2013 | Updated: 18:29 EDT, 25 May 2013

Rory McIlroy's unexpected weekend  off, after missing the cut at the BMW PGA Championships at Wentworth, offers him  the chance to be courtside when his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki plays Britain's Laura Robson in the first round of the French Open. 

The former world No 1 is cast as the underdog against the British teenager after a wretched run of poor performances through the clay court season.

Golden girl: Britain's Laura Robson

'I feel that I am in a good place and playing good tennis and looking forward to getting on the court,' said Robson, who recently accounted for Venus Williams, another former world No 1, at the Italian Open in Rome.

Not surprisingly, Robson found the power and athleticism of the current world No 1 Serena Williams impossible to withstand in the next round. 

Serena is on a roll that began after her first-round defeat at Roland Garros 12 months ago. Since then, she has won Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and two Olympic gold medals. 

She has lost just three times in her last 70 matches. By the end of this summer, she could have accumulated the three Grand Slam titles she needs to equal the 18 majors won by two notable legends of women's tennis, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

Golden couple: Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki

'It's cool, but I don't think about it,' said Williams. 'Three doesn't seem that far. It is close; but, again, it's still far. Growing up, I never thought I wanted to be in the history books. But, as I get older, I think: "OK, I have an opportunity and it could happen and that could be really nice." I felt this past year I had nothing to lose and just really wanted to enjoy my career.

'In the past, I was always so stressed out and always wanted to win, win, win.'  

Without that stress, winning seems to have come naturally to her.

Serena has won the French Open just once - 11 years ago when she defeated her sister. 'It would be great to win a second,' she said, calmly, of course.

Britain's Heather Watson, who is playing in her first tournament since recovering from glandular fever, will meet Stefanie Voegele in the first round and is just relieved to be back on court.