Week 12 - WTA Premier Mandatory - Miami, USA

Jan · Hall of fame

RE: Week 12 - WTA Premier Mandatory - Miami, USA

Julia Carrot · All-time great

But do not get broken back

*5 - 5

Jan · Hall of fame

nice safe hold for 6-5*

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

TB it is!

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Bah

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Drat

Jan · Hall of fame

ok Laura, you need the next 2 sets. Not sure I will stay up for this now, so come on Laura - I hope for good news in the morning, please!

DavidC · Tennis legend

Second set not going well, though at least Laura has retrieved 1 break from 1-5 to 2*-5, but is down 3 matchpoints at 0-40

DavidC · Tennis legend

Laura saves 1 matchpoint but goes down 7-6(4) 6-2

Heather's remarkable comeback is the lead WTA site story:

"Last year was a breakthrough year for British teenager Heather Watson, her ground game, athleticism and determination helping push her into her first three WTA quarterfinals and the Top 100. It has not been an ideal start to 2012, an ankle injury derailing her rise, but at the Sony Ericsson Open on Tuesday afternoon she really reminded everyone of her talents.

The 19-year-old from Guernsey made it all the way up to No.87 last September, but injured her ankle at the end of the off-season and has slipped to No.129 as of this week after going 0-4 in her first four WTA events of the season.

"My ankle had me out for a long time after the training block, which I trained so hard for," Watson said. "It pushed me back, both mentally and physically, and I also came back sooner than I should have because I wanted to play matches. I was being very cautious with my movement, and that's one of my strengths."

With her ankle okay now, Watson came into the Sony Ericsson Open with far better chances and put not just her movement on display on Tuesday, but also her will to win - she rallied from 5-0 down in the third set, including saving two match points down 5-4, 40-15, to finally beat Sorana Cirstea, 63 36 76(4).

"She played so well to get 5-0 up. I just wanted to keep going for it, keep fighting every single point," Watson told reporters afterwards. "She had a few match points there, and especially on the second match point she really had me on the ropes, but I tried to stay calm and it worked out in my favor.

"I had people supporting me everywhere, from my coach and my dad, my mother all the way at the top of the bleachers, Judy out there too... they were all scattered everywhere and they helped me find the strength to push through."

philwrig · Hall of fame

Disappointing for Laura, made the comeback after a slow start, and could have nicked the first set, but it wasn't to be. Certainly Czink would have learnt alot about how to play Laura from their recent meeting. If you can pin Laura on her backhand side, you can get an advantage, her defence being weak on that side. I noticed Jankovic employ those tactics at the Oz open to great effect.

Still though another small step in the right direction following on from last week, so as Laura said this week she believes her move up the rankings will be gradual rather than meteoric, assuming of course she stays clear of injury.

indiana · Tennis legend

Very interesting. I'd heard Jonathan Overend on Radio 5 Live say Heather had had real ankle problems, and I was thinking OK but that was quite a while ago now, and she's been playing plenty tournaments. That though puts it into more context.

philwrig · Hall of fame

She sprained it playing football and it was certainly still taped at the Fed Cup. Up until the loss against Zhang last week, I thought she was gradually getting better, without knowing the full story, so the Zhang performance was probably just a bad day at the office.

indiana · Tennis legend

R2 : Heather Watson WR 129 vs (27) Lucie Safarova (CZE) WR 25

steven · Tennis legend

I can't find the promised post-match interview on the BBC site but caught a bit of it on the radio this morning, so it must be out there. When I tweeted to that effect, BBC Radio Guernsey tweeted back to say they'll be running it again before 9.30 am - there's listen live link top right at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/europe/guernsey/ for anyone interested.

Jan · Hall of fame

shame Laura couldn't win that one, but she's got some points from the week, so that has to be good! Haeding in the right direction!