Our own 'little' star to take on USA's girls

TENNIS starlet Heather Watson represents Britain this week in one of the top international junior team tournaments. Her appearance in the USA-Great Britain match for the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy in Dallas, Texas, sees her following in the footsteps of great tennis names including Pam Shriver, Zina Garrison and Sue Barker.

The annual match is hosted alternately between Britain and USA. The Americans lead the series 20-11.

Father Ian, who has spent the last two weeks with his wife and daughter in Florida, was delighted at Heather's selection for the British team.

'This is a great honour,' he said. 'Everything Heather's doing is very progressive. When she has some success it tends to snowball and she gets more invites to other tournaments like this.'

Virtually all of Britain's top current female tennis players over the years have played in the event where teams of five play 11 matches over three days.

Two members of this year's team played when the match was last contested in 2005. Britain last won in 2004.

Watson is currently ranked 520 in the ITF junior standings, but hopes to push into the top 100 by the end of the year, as she plays more tournaments in the US.

The GB-USA clash starts tomorrow, and ends on Saturday.

* The trophy was inaugurated in 1973, 20 years after Connolly's grand slam and four years after her death.

The event also marks the 40th anniversary of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation. It has offered encouragement, financial help, training and opportunities for young players with the goal of promoting tennis in a fitting manner to 'one of the all-time greats'.