Relaxed approach worked for Watson in Australia

While Watson’s singles campaign ended at the second round to the deft hands of world No. 22 Anett Kontaveit on Thursday, she and Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez went one better in the doubles.

This is the first time the Guernsey ace has reached the Grand Slam women’s doubles third round outside of Wimbledon, but Canada’s Sharon Fichman and Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos prevented any further progress by winning 6-3, 6-2.

Although the 2016 Wimbledon mixed champion and her partner showed glimmers of promise by winning the opening game of each set, they didn’t lead at any other point of the match.

Fernandez is a novice to Grand Slam doubles and their opponents needed 45min. to win the first set, then only 32min. in the second after sealing five straight games.

This concluded a testing few weeks for Watson, the singles world No. 60.

After enduring 15 days’ hard quarantine in a Melbourne hotel room, due to a fellow flight passenger testing positive for Covid, she suffered body spasms before and during the tournament.

But the 28-year-old still came away feeling that her relaxed approach had paid off.

‘I feel like I am a lot more relaxed and I play a lot better tennis when I am relaxed,’ she said.

‘That is probably what I’ll take from it.

‘I don’t know if it is because of what has happened with the quarantine or just I am getting older and have been on tour from a young age and feel very experienced now,’ Watson added.