The winning smile is back on Watson’s face
HEATHER WATSON’S recent Jekyll and Hyde form in singles and doubles continued at Wimbledon as she booked her place in the second round of the ladies’ pairs.
Watson has endured a torrid time of late in singles with only one win to show from five tournaments during the grass court season, losing in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday evening to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium.
However, her doubles record is an altogether different matter. A title winner and runner-up in the mixed at Wimbledon in 2016 and 2017 respectively, Watson also reached the final of the recent Nature Valley Open in Nottingham partnering Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania.
Yesterday she had Tatjana Maria of Germany alongside her on Court 9 at the All England Club against the Chinese pair Chen Liang and Shuai Zhang.
It proved to be the kind of comfortable victory that has long been missing from Watson’s singles game, a 6-2 6-2 triumph lasting 1hr 9min. that had the Sarnian beaming from ear to ear having served to clinch the match.
‘We’ve played together a few times now and we lost at Roland Garros in a tight third set to the girls who won the tournament,’ said Watson of her partnership with Maria.
‘I just get along with Tatjana so well on and off the court. Our games work really well on the doubles court together but also our personalities gel really well. Chemistry for me in doubles is really important. I’m happier, I’m more positive and I usually end up playing better when I have good chemistry with my partner. My two rules in doubles are have fun and fight – in no particular order.'
More in Friday's Guernsey Press.
