Fisher gets call to support Watson

HEATHER WATSON'S hopes of making it into world's tennis elite have been given another boost with the news that she will soon have a top level coach travelling with her for the first time.

Former Channel Islands county performance officer Andrew Fisher, who has worked with Heather for a number of years, is being released by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to accompany her to the next two Grand Slams and other top level tournaments in Europe.

It includes the Junior French Open in June and culminates in Wimbledon in July, where she hopes to receive a wild card into the senior draw.

It is the latest boost for the player, following the recent announcement of an increase in Sportingbet's sponsorship of the Watson family.

They will receive a further £75,000 from the local firm over the next two years, in addition to £25,000 in 2008.

That deal, which enables her to compete in more top class events, has already seen her rise up the world under-18 rankings from 324 at the start of 2008 to number 14 now.

More recently, she reached her first junior Grand Slam quarter final at the Australian Open in January.

Her father Ian Watson said the new coaching deal could make all the difference to her progress and would not have been possible without the support from Sportingbet.