Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Heather Watson shows fitness in qualfying for Wuhan Open in China

Heather Watson seems to be on the road to recovery
Heather Watson seems to be on the road to recovery

Heather Watson put any health concerns to bed by booking her place in the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open in China.

The 24-year-old Briton was last seen exiting the US Open in the first round in worrying circumstances as she was running on empty in a straight sets defeat to Richel Hogenkamp and needed medical treatment.

In the aftermath of that harrowing afternoon at Flushing Meadows, the British No 2 feared she may have suffered a relapse of glandular fever, which stalled her earlier in her career, after saying the symptoms were similar.

However, blood tests came back clear and Watson proved she is 100 per cent as in hot conditions in central China, she beat Chang Liu in three nervy sets before coming back to get past American Samantha Crawford in style.

Watson, playing in her first tournament since New York, said: "I got the blood test results and they are all fine, I am very healthy.

"I just think it was a mixture of things, maybe stress and anxiety and the heat is always a factor. But I feel as if I am fit, I train in Florida, so I was fit and ready, I think it was just the other things that affected me.

Watson needed medical attention at the US Open
Watson needed medical attention at the US Open

"I know I am fit, I spoke to one of my friends before I went on court and he told me I would be fine because I train twice a day. I know I __can do it.

"I haven't had a lot of singles matches, just with the way things have worked out so I haven't played as much as I would have liked matchwise.

"I am really pleased to have got through especially as I had to play twice, I did that earlier in the year at Hobart and I remember getting frustrated because I was tired and my opponent hadn't played at all and today I made sure I didn't make the same mistake."

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There were more lessons for Watson. After winning the first set comfortably against Liu she then capitulated, allowing herself to be bagelled before eventually edging a tight decider and progressing 6-1 0-6 6-4.

She was in no mood to make the same mistake against Crawford. After taking the first-set tie-break she won 18 of the next 19 points to saunter into a 4-0 lead in the second set, eventually seeing out a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 success.

She added: "I am also pleased because I don't feel as if I played my best and to win when you're not doing that is a good confidence boost."

She will face training partner Madison Brengle in the first round of the main draw where she is joined by fellow Brit Johanna Konta, who plays Annika Beck, with both in action on Monday.

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