Chinese puzzler...

ONE of China's most promising young tennis stars ended Heather Watson's fine run at the $25,000 ITF tour event in Hammond, Louisiana, at the weekend.

Shuai Zhang, who was the tournament's number three seed and ranked 145 in the world, beat Watson 7-5, 6-2 in the quarter-finals on her way to reaching the final, which she won 6-2, 6-1 to claim the title.

Zhang, 21, came to prominence last year when, as a wildcard entrant then ranked 226 worldwide, she took out Dinara Safina, the top seed and the then world number one, in the WTA premier event in Beijing which carried prize money of US$4.5million.

So although losing, Watson (pictured) is proving that she can compete at this elevated level having beaten the 177th and 149th ranked players to reach the last eight in Hammond where she had to qualify.

In the doubles, Watson and British partner Naomi Broady lost their semi-final to the Americans Fusano and Nagle 6-2, 6-1.

Watson now moves onto Irapuato, in Mexico, where she has been accepted into the qualifying competition of the $25,000 ITF event there.

This was the Guernsey girl's second choice behind Fort Walton, Florida, which she did not get into because entries were too strong.