HEATHER WATSON has had no time to reflect on her Wimbledon adventure as she competes this week at the German Junior Open. The 16-year-old Sarnian (pictured) received a wild-card entry into the main draw for last week’s Junior Wimbledon.
After being knocked out in opening round of the singles, the current under-16 British champion made the quarter-finals of the doubles with her partner Tara Moore, before losing to Australian pair Isabella Holland and Sally Peers.
Watson’s world ranking has jumped from 227 to 124 thanks to her performances in SW19. But she has had to put her time at Wimbledon behind her as she is now in Essen for the Grade One ITF event, which is being played on clay.
A number of young and upcoming stars who were at Wimbledon are competing in the tournament, including Peers. Yesterday, the Guernsey star lost to German Lena-Marie Hofmann in the first round of the singles.
She plays in the doubles today.
Watson also looks set to try and claim the under-18 British title later on in the summer.
It could see her come face-to-face with latest sensation Laura Robson.
The 14-year-old was the first British player to win the Wimbledon girl’s singles title since Annabel Croft in 1984.
Watson is not the only young Guernsey tennis star in action this week.
Nick Thibeault is currently playing for Millfield School at the National School Championship in Hertfordshire.
The 17-year-old is vice-captain of the school’s team and has had a busy time of late.
He recently helped Millfield defeat Tim Henman’s old school, Reed’s, in the final of the ISTA Championship.
The competition is for independent schools and Reed’s were the defending champions.
Thibeault and the rest of the squad then went to Austria for five days for intensive clay court practice before returning to the UK for the National School Championship.
He is due to arrive back on the island after the championships, represent Guernsey in the weekend’s inter-insulars and compete in the senior county cup in Beckenham.
The highlight of the year for Thibeault will undoubtedly be when he joins Watson to compete in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, October.
‘I’m really pleased and looking forward to see how I match up against the standard,’ said Thibeault. ‘I’m going to train hard this summer. I expect the standard is going to be good.’
Article posted on 9th July, 2008 - 2.30pm
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