Watson on song

HEATHER WATSON beat world No. 91 Alberta Brianti 6-3, 6-2 to qualify for the main draw at the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Earlier in qualifying the Sarnian, ranked 176 in the world, had defeated American Jamie Hampton and Italian Corinna Dentoni.

In the first round of the main draw, Watson was up against Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and brushed aside the former world No. 1 junior 6-1, 6-1 to set up a second round clash with Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, the world No. 57.

Suarez Navarro was a finalist in 2010 at Marbella, where she beat countrywoman Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and one of her best results was at Indian Wells, where she accounted for former world No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova.