Watson has had few better days
HEATHER WATSON can have enjoyed few better days in tennis than she did yesterday at Eastbourne.
Two matches in quick succession at the Aegon International, two more major scalps and a semi-final to look forward to today. All within the space of five hours.
Three days after beating world No. 9 Dominika Cibulkova, the rain finally relented and Watson got the chance to play her second round clash.
The task did not get much easier as she came up against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – the world No. 17 – and the Russian secured an early break.
But Watson soon broke back and then did not look back, playing magnificently to wrap up a memorable 6-4, 6-3 success.
On a day where the tournament was playing catch up, though, she had little more than an hour to recover before being back for her quarter-final.
Barbara Strycova, the world No. 23, lay in wait this time, but Watson's momentum continued as she romped to the first set 6-1.
Strycova recovered and dominated in the second, but in a thrilling decider, it was Watson who held her nerve to see out a fine 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 win.
She now takes on Caroline Wozniacki in the last four and with Johanna Konta through after beating top seed Angelique Kerber, it is the first time since 1985 that two Brits have reached the semi-finals of a WTA event.
