HEATHER WATSON might have time to squeeze in a trip home this weekend after her involvement in Barnstaple came to an end yesterday.

Hoping to win a place in the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the $50,000 event, she and the other hot prospect in British women’s tennis, Laura Robson, lost to the pairing of Anna Gerasimou of Greece and Katalin Marosi of Hungary.

The British pair, who had never played before their first round match on Thursday evening, lost 6-3, 5-7 (10-2). They had been in danger of losing in straight sets but, from 5-4 down in the second, won it 7-5 to force a first-to-10 tiebreak in which they were well beaten.

When and where the Sarnian-Anglo partnership get together again is unclear.

The exciting new pairing has more to do with friendship and being in the same place at the same time than anything else, said Michelle Watson, Heather’s mother.

Although the LTA could be excused for urging Britain’s two best juniors to forge a long-standing understanding by playing regularly as a pair, Michelle Watson said that was not the case in Devon.

‘It was the girls’ choice to do so. It depends if they are at the same tournament or not.’

In surprising the No. 2 seeds, Watson and Robson had shown a good blend. ‘They gelled very well and worked well as a team. A lefty-right hand combination is always good,’ said Michelle.