Walk in a Latvian park for Watson

HEATHER WATSON and her Great Britain under-16 girls teammates received a walkover into the semi-final of the 2008 Tennis Europe Winter Cup as their Swedish opponents went down with food poisoning. The 15-year-old Guernsey tennis star Watson was due to play Beatrice Cedermark at the indoor Jurmala Tennis Club in Latvia yesterday morning, but the Swedish number two, along with another teammate, was not fit enough to play due to stomach problems.

It meant that the scheduled doubles match was scrapped as well.

Watson had to make do as a spectator while her British teammate, Tara Moore, took on the Swedish number one in a match that effectively stood for nothing.

'Heather was very disappointed at not playing because she was the one to miss out,' said GB coach, Iain Bates.

'It's just frustrating after spending so much time preparing to turn up and have that happen. It leaves you a bit flat.'

Watson was crowned the British under-16 champion when she won the 2007 Ariel National Championships in Bournemouth in August.

However, because Moore has a higher international ranking than the Sarnian, she took the top spot.

The other member in the British team is Nicola George of Lancashire.

The trio went into the event as the number three seeds.

Their walkover means that today they face Latvia who are ranked number two and defeated Denmark 3-0 in yesterday's quarter-finals.

'I'm confident that the girls can win if they play to their potential, but I'm realistic enough to know that they have

to come with their games,' said Bates.

'It's going to be a tough game but I'm sure that our girls are going to be up for it.'

Sweden, Latvia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Estonia, Denmark and top seeds Russia joined Great Britain in the Zone C qualifying pool.

Major tennis nations such as France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland are in the other qualifying groups.

If Watson and her British side get past the Latvians into the final, they book themselves a place in the Winter Cup finals in Ronchin, France, later this month.

* FORMER England stars Stan Bolwes and Charlie George will be special guests at a joint Belgrave Wanderers and Wooden Spoon Dinner on 28 March.

In addition, the Wasps Legends with British Lions will return on 31 May with the likes of Kenny Logan, Rob Howley and Damion Cronin present for a Wooden Spoon charity event.