2015 champ Heather Watson struggles through qualifier
A nervous Heather Watson has struggled through her first-round qualifying assignment at the Hobart International.
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A NERVOUS Heather Watson has scraped through her first-round qualifying assignment at the Hobart International despite struggling to find her fluent best.
The former world No. 38 – who won the title in Hobart in 2015 but has struggled to consistently recapture her top form since – defeated Australian Naiktha Bains 7-5, 6-3 in the first match on centre court.
It was her first victory of 2019 after losing in qualifying at Brisbane last week, with the 26-year-old relieved to have got on the board as she looks to improve her ranking having slipped to outside the top 100 for the first time since 2013.
“I am happy to get through that one. It wasn’t the best tennis, but it is tough at the beginning of the year getting into it again,” Watson said.
“I was a bit nervous, and just never really released the ball throughout the match, I tried to but every time I did I missed by miles.
“I played quite tentative today, but I thought she played really well and to be fair she didn’t really let me get into a groove.
“She was very aggressive, hit a lot of winners. I am happy to get through.”
While Tasmania has been a happy hunting ground for Watson, who also reached the semi-final last year and was a quarterfinalist in 2016, the past 10 months have been a battle.
After going down to eventual champion Elise Mertens in three sets, Watson lost seven straight matches and failed to progress beyond the second round at any WTA tournament until Quebec City in September, where she reached the semis.
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She will square off with another Australian in Isabelle Wallace for a spot in the main draw, but regardless of the result her main focus is simply enjoying the game again.
“Most importantly is enjoying it, enjoying tennis, because when I am in a happy place I always play better.”
“It was like an out-of-body experience”
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