LONDON (Reuters) – Heather Watson appeared the least shocked of everybody at Wimbledon when she superior to the final 16 of a Grand Slam for the primary time on Friday, saying she wouldn’t nonetheless be taking part in if she thought she was destined by no means to make it.
Watson beat Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 7-6(6) 6-2 on Court One to advance to the fourth spherical for the primary time in 43 makes an attempt on the massive 4.
She started her quest in 2010 at Wimbledon, and although she got here desperately near beating Serena Williams in 2015, her greatest efficiency was reaching the third spherical thrice. She acquired to the identical stage as soon as on the Australian Open however has by no means been previous the second spherical at Roland Garros and, extremely, has misplaced within the first spherical in all 10 U.S. Open appearances.
Asked if she thought her possibilities had been over, the 30-year-old who’s now ranked 121st and fourth in Britain stated: “No likelihood. I would not nonetheless be taking part in if I believed that ship had sailed.
“I’ve been within the third spherical fairly just a few occasions so I was simply kind of waiting for it to occur. I waited lengthy sufficient, I feel, and did it in dramatic style.”
Watson had cruising by as she led 5-0 within the second set however Juvan launched a fightback to take the subsequent two video games and had 4 break factors for 5-3, solely for Watson to regroup.
“Those final three video games had been so shut, she raised her recreation and was arising with some nice photographs,” she stated.
“I did not actually panic as a result of I was considering clearly and effectively conscious that she had raised her degree and I was ready for that. I was surprisingly calm truly. I actually believed that I was going to do it,” she added.
“I’m simply proud of myself for getting over the road.”
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, enhancing by Ed Osmond)
