Watson gets big Wimbledon chance
HEATHER WATSON, Guernsey's exciting young tennis talent, will get to tread the hallowed Wimbledon grass prior to this year's All England Championships.
HEATHER WATSON, Guernsey's exciting young tennis talent, will get to tread the hallowed Wimbledon grass prior to this year's All England Championships. The Year 6 Melrose student , is ranked number one girl in Britain at her age-group, and cannot wait to play at the most famous venue in world tennis.
'I am really excited to be able to play on the number one court at Wimbledon,' she said yesterday.
'I think it will be good experience and I'm really looking forward to it,' the schoolgirl added.
Watson is one of 22 of the country's top youngsters and one of only four 11-year-olds to be chosen for the junior demonstration on Saturday 28 June at the climax of the Wimbledon qualifying week.
The invitation stems from the All England Club requesting the LTA to put on a demonstration on three show courts prior to start of play.
Eight boys and girls born in 1991 will get the chance to play on centre court, another eight born in 1992 will play on court one and six from 1993 will get a hit on court three.
All 22 are on the LTA's 'Futures Programme' and will meet up at the LTA's National Training Centre at Bisham Abbey, two days prior to their Wimbledon opportunity.
Watson will, however, already be there.
She is a vital cog in the Channel Islands' under-11s team which plays in the national age-group finals at Bisham Abbey the previous weekend and after its conclusion she will stay on at the for the whole week.
Michelle Watson, Heather's mother, says these are hectic days for the family.
The youngster's development already takes her away an awful lot - a clay court training camp in La Manga is among her most recent trips - and she is also a keen swimmer and runner.
'She just loves all sports, but her ambition is to be a full-time tennis player,' said Mrs Watson.
This past weekend Heather was in action at the 13 years and under British Junior Championship qualifiers in Sutton, enjoying mixed success. Bottom of the agegroup the Watson won one of her three qualifiers but will not be going through to the next stage.