This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

HEATHER WATSON has set her sights on senior Wimbledon this year.

The 16-year-old Guernsey star, who is ranked as the 13th-best junior player in the world, will make her senior tournament debut at the end of February in Florida.

She is also confirmed to play in three more professional events with a view to put in some good performances to earn herself a wild-card entry to Wimbledon.

‘If Heather is up there with the top 12 Brits, she’ll get a wild card,’ said her father Ian.

Watson is currently on her way to Australia, where she is competing in the Opus Nottinghill International, Melbourne this weekend, before taking part in the Australian Junior Open.

She is then heading back to Florida, where she is a student at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, before making her senior debut at the $50K Clearwater Tournament, which begins on 23 February.

Watson has also received confirmation that she will compete in the $25K Fort Walton Beach event in Florida at the start of March.

Watson then flies over the Atlantic to take part in the Jersey Open, which also has prize money of $25K.

It will be the first time she has competed in the Channel Islands for more than three years.

Then, in April, she is entered into a $25K event in Mexico before she competes in the French Junior Open at the end of May.

Her ranking now means that she automatically qualifies for all the junior Grand Slam events.

Next up in June, she aims to be involved in the pre-Wimbledon competition in Eastbourne, which carries a prize fund of $200K.

Then at the end of month she hopes to receive a wild-card entry into Wimbledon.

Last year saw Watson make her debut at Junior Wimbledon.

She reached the quarter-finals of the doubles with fellow British player Tara Moore.

In all, 2009 promises to be a very big year for Watson.
‘This is a transitional year,’ said her father.

‘It’s a transition from juniors to seniors and the timing is probably just right. She’s just coming up to 17 years old and she’s got to move from juniors to seniors.

‘The year is looking exciting.

‘The potential and the opportunities are there.’

Article posted on 13th January, 2009 - 2.30pm