Watson to take a break

HEATHER WATSON has admitted to being 'a bit burnt out' and will take a break from tennis after falling at the first hurdle of the Sony Open in Miami yesterday.

The Sarnian got off to a terrific start against Ayumi Morita of Japan, breaking her opponent twice on her way to taking the opening set comfortably 6-1.

World No. 39 Watson carried that momentum into the second set and quickly established a 4-1 lead against a player ranked 11 places below her in the rankings.

However, the Japanese player, who had won the only previous meeting between the players which was also in Miami, then began a remarkable turnaround.

Morita won four successive games to edge into a 5-4 lead before Watson drew level by holding serve for 5-5, but she could not repeat the feat two games later as her opponent took the set 7-5.

In a tense third and deciding set, Morita always held the advantage after serving first and opened a 4-2 lead before Watson broke serve for the only time in the set.

The British No. 1 held in the eighth game, but after falling 5-4 before, she could not hold onto her serve again as Morita went through 6-4 in the third after an epic 2hr 45min. encounter.