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HEATHER WATSON made a winning return to action yesterday following her abdominal injury.

The 18-year-old Sarnian overcame fellow British teenager Nicola George

6-2, 6-3 in a rain-interrupted match at the Aegon GB Pro-Series event in Wrexham.

Watson, who is the fourth seed, will now face Anna Fitzpatrick in the second round of the $25,000 ITF hard-court event.

World No. 626 Fitzpatrick is more than 300 places below Watson in the ranking list, but had a rest day yesterday after she beat Amanda Elliott 6-4, 6-2 in one of only three first-round matches completed on Monday.