This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

HEATHER WATSON has qualified for the junior US Open. Before last week’s Austrian tournament, she had a world ranking of 150.

But after reaching the semis at the 14th Junior Open der Stadt Wels, the 16-year-old has broken into the top 100 under-18 players in the world and in doing so made the cut off for next month’s prestigious tournament at Flushing Meadow, New York.

‘The aim was to break into the top 100 by the age of 16,’ said Watson’s mother, Michelle. ‘Now the aim is for the top 50, so that she doesn’t have to play qualifiers for the Slams.’

As of yesterday, the 2007 British under-16 champion was ranked 84 in the world and third in Britain behind new whizz-kid Laura Robson and Jade Curtis. Watson’s ranking has been boosted by some recent terrific performances.

She is based at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida but is spending the summer playing ITF grade one-ranking tournaments around Europe.

After qualifying for Junior Wimbledon, Watson made the quarter-finals of the doubles with Tara Moore before flying to the German Junior Open in Essen.

Moving from the grass courts of Wimbledon onto clay proved too much for the Sarnian and she lost her first-round singles match to German Lena-Marie Hofmann.

But she did make it through to the semi-finals of the doubles with Russian Anastasiya Mukhametova.

However, in Austria on Saturday, Watson went one better when she won the doubles, which was also a grade-one competition.

With her new partner, Australian Sally Peers, who, with Isabella Holland had knocked her and Moore out of Wimbledon, they defeated Czech pair Martina Borecka and Martina Kubicikova 7-5, 7-5 in the final.

On a busy day for Watson, fatigue was a telling factor. She won her singles quarter-final against Ukraine’s Sophia Kovalets, but then went down in the semi-finals at the hands of Sandra Roma, of Sweden.

‘It’s been a great two weeks,’ said her mother.

‘Losing the singles [in the first round] in Germany was disappointing but you can’t go from grass straight to clay.

‘You need practice to get used to the ball.’

Watson junior is currently in Moscow where she is competing in the under-16 European Junior Championships.

She and Moore were the only British players to be picked.

There is no rest for the Guernsey girl as she will then represent Great Britain in the qualifiers for the Summer Cup team tournament that is being held in Hertfordshire.

After that she will have the British Junior National Championships starting on 6 August at the LTA’s headquarters in Roehampton.

n Watson is the reigning under-16 British champion but this year will compete in the under-18s.

Article posted on 22nd July, 2008 - 2.30pm