Watson through

HEATHER WATSON made the most of her lucky loser spot in the main draw of the ITF $25,000 Clearwater event yesterday by beating Anna Tatishvili in an epic first round encounter.

The Sarnian won 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a match that lasted three hours against the world number 172.

'It was such a battle. We ran each other all over but I hung in there even after being up 5-3 in the first set,' Watson posted on her Facebook page.

She can enjoy a day off today before her second round match against either Yi-Miao Zhou or Kimberley Couts.