Watson stuns Lisicki in Japan

Heather Watson

A few days after Laura Robson made the final of a WTA event, Heather Watson is looking to start her own memorable run.

The 20-year-old produced a brilliant performance to defeat Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

Watson was made to battle hard as she saved four break points and only managed to break at the third attempt late in the first set.

The second set had the potential to go horribly wrong for Watson after she was broken early on. But to her credit she didn’t cave as both ladies exchanged four consecutive breaks of serve. Lisicki held serve to stay alive at 6-5 down and force a tie-breaker.

But the German needn’t have bothered as Watson raced to a dominant 6-1 lead before taking the win on her third match point.

The British No.2 will now play French Open champion Maria Sharapova in the next round after the Russian was handed a bye.

Elsewhere on Monday, former world No. 1s Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki advanced, with Wozniacki pushed all the way by Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski before prevailing 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.

In other news Agnieszka Radwanska has become the fourth player to qualify for the end-of-season WTA Championships in Istanbul.

Philip Wicinski

Follow us on Facebook