Watson on the up

Friday 18th February 2011, 2:30PM GMT.

ANOTHER groundbreaking week in her senior career in which she reached her second WTA quarter-final in Memphis, will ensure that Heather Watson continues her rise up the world rankings.

Despite losing in yesterday’s encounter to Evgeniya Rodina of Russia 3-6, 4-6, the 18-year-old Sarnian could rise as high as 133 in the next set of rankings, compared to her current 145.

Watson won four straight matches firstly to qualify for the $220,000 hard court Cellular South Cup, before beating both Andrea Hlavackova and Stephanie Foretz Gacon in the main draw.

Her excellent run was ended by world number 90 Rodina, but not without a fight in a match that lasted more than 90 minutes, uncharacteristically long for a straight sets outcome.