Emerging from the pain of plucky defeats and first-round exits, Heather Watson reached new ground with a victory over Kaja Juvan that was as impressive in its delivery as cathartic in its outcome. At the 43rd attempt, Watson has advanced to the fourth round of a grand slam, leaving the trail of disappointment and heartbreak behind to stride boldly into the second week of the Championships, where an open draw now teases the prospect of a sensational run.
In the end, a 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 scoreline may look comfortable but it masks the tension of a gripping first-set tiebreak which could have gone either way. Instead, Watson pushed through to seize the chance that in previous years has slipped through her fingers. Although Watson was bold and assertive from the start, she was freed by the release of landing the all important first blow of the match. As the winners flowed from her forehand, she went on to take apart Juvan’s intimidating service game by sealing the straight-sets victory.
