Sunday 14 October 2012

Watson First to Win a WTA Title


Heather Watson has become the first British woman to win a WTA singles title since 1988 after beating Chang Kai-chen in the Japan Open final.

Watson, who had served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, saved four match points when 5-4 down in the third.

The world number 71 recovered to be victorious in the deciding tie-break, winning 7-5 5-7 7-6 (7-4).

Sara Gomer was the last British woman to win on the tour, four years before 20-year-old Watson was born.

Watson's win in Osaka comes less than a month after compatriot Laura Robson made it to the final of the Guangzhou Open in China, becoming the first British woman to reach a WTA singles final since Jo Durie in 1990.

Watson had not previously gone past the quarter-finals of a WTA event and will now replace Robson as the British number one.

The 2009 US Open girls' champion earned 16 break points but conceded 17 in a see-saw battle with world number 134 Chang.

Watson broke four times in the first set, only to drop her serve three times in the second to let the 21-year-old from Chinese Taipei back in to the contest.

And Chang, who beat Sam Stosur in the semi-finals, looked set for victory when she held three match points when serving in the 10th game of the decider.

But the Guernsey player, fought back, and sealed the biggest success of her career with her second match point in the tie-break.

A delighted Watson told the WTA Tour website: "I was in the changing room afterwards and I thought to myself, 'Did I really win?' So it's just starting to settle in.

"I've worked so hard for this moment my whole career - that's why I practised so hard, ran all those miles and lifted all those weights, for moments like this.

"Britain has been breaking quite a few records recently, so I'm happy I could break another one today. I'm proud to do this for my country."

She has also reached the doubles final alongside Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm.

They will play United States pair Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones, with Watson bidding to become the first Briton to win both the singles and doubles at the same WTA tournament since Anne Hobbs in 1985.


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