Vital ranking points at stake for Watson

Drive to the north-eastern suburbs of Shropshire’s county town and you will find The Shrewsbury Club, more of a high-end health and fitness centre than a tennis mecca.

Looks, however, can be deceiving. This week what might be called the best of the rest of the world’s top female players, including Heather Watson, will make for this apparent backwater to compete in the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury event, now the biggest women’s tennis tournament in the UK outside the traditional summer grass court season.

All of them are chasing one thing – ranking points.

You do not fly most of the way around the world, as many of these players have, unless it is worth it. Not financially, but in terms of climbing that all important rankings ladder.

Watson, who has spent the past few weeks competing in Korea and China, is no different. Three months ago, following a disappointing Wimbledon in which she exited the singles in the first round, the 32-year-old Sarnian was on the verge of slipping outside the world top 200.

Now she is up to 157 in the rankings, not exactly earth-shattering but heading in the right direction. Reach the quarters, semis or, whisper it, final at Shrewsbury and her aim of getting back inside the top 100 will be within grasp.

It will not be easy, though. It may only be Shropshire but the entry list is impressive, with fellow Brits Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal, who recently won her maiden WTA title, among those seeking to do well.

‘It’s always been the case that we have attracted top players but, this year, as it stands, every player in the main draw is currently ranked in the world’s top 150, so that’s an incredible indication of just how highly regarded this tournament is by the players,’ said Shrewsbury tournament promoter Dave Courteen.

Rather than receiving direct acceptance into the main draw, Watson benefitted through the offer of an invitation which also meant she avoided having to qualify for the event. She may, technically, be outside the top 150 as the rankings stand this week, but she will still be one to watch.

With qualifying going on into the early evening yesterday, it is unlikely Watson will know the identity of her first round opponent until this morning.

The fact that opponent could be anyone from the highly fancied Kartal, who went toe-to-toe with US open champion Coco Gauff in the third round at Wimbledon this year, to a relatively unknown qualifier makes the tie all the more intriguing.