Heather Watson

Heather Miriam Watson (born 19 May 1992) is a British professional tennis player.

Her mother is from Papua New Guinea and her father is British, and was the managing director of Guernsey Electricity from 1995 until retirement in 2010.

She has one brother and two sisters.

Watson started playing tennis at the age of seven, and at age twelve she went to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida.

In 2006, Watson won the British Under-14 Championship.

The following year she won the British Under-16 Championship, and reached the semifinals of the British Under-18 Championship.

In her junior career, Watson won the US Open and a gold medal at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.

She reached No. 3 in the world on the ITF Junior Circuit.

Heather Watson was born in Guernsey to Michelle and Ian Watson.

She lost in the under-18 semifinals again in 2008 to eventual winner Tara Moore.

In October, Watson travelled to Pune in India to compete at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games where she won the gold medal, winning the final against Kyra Shroff.

Mother Michelle left her job in 2008 to travel full-time with her daughter around the World Junior Circuit.

Wimbledon: 1R (2008, 2009)

Watson played her first senior tournament in March 2009 – the $25k Jersey Open, but lost in the second round to Katie O'Brien.

At the beginning of July, she became the highest-ranked British junior, overtaking Laura Robson.

She achieved her first senior women's world ranking on 27 July 2009, entering at No. 756.

She won her first senior title at the Frinton $10k tournament.

Watson beat Anna Fitzpatrick in the final.

At the 2009 US Open, Watson was seeded 11th for the girls' singles.

She reached the quarterfinals on 10 September before rain interrupted the tournament schedule.

The tournament moved indoors and Watson beat second seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn in the quarterfinal on 12 September.

She played her semifinal on the same day and was victorious against Daria Gavrilova to reach the final, where she faced doubles partner Yana Buchina.

Playing on court 7, Watson won in straight sets.

At the 2009 French Open, Watson and her partner, as the third seeds, reached the girls' doubles final where she and Tímea Babos faced the second-seeded pair of Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Elena Bogdan and were beaten in a match tie-break.

Partnering Yana Buchina, that year they were the seventh seed at the Australian girls' doubles and sixth seed at the US Open girls' doubles, but they lost in the first round at both tournaments.

At Wimbledon, she teamed up with Magda Linette and they were seeded sixth in the girls' doubles but eliminated in the second round.

Australian Open: QF (2009)

French Open: 1R (2009)

US Open: W (2009)

Watson began competing on the ITF Women's Circuit in March when she entered the qualifying tournament for the $10k event in Bath, Somerset, but failed to win a match.

She entered her next tournament, a $25k event in Jersey, on a wildcard and beat compatriot Jade Curtis in the first round.

She was defeated by another Britain, Katie O'Brien, in round two.

In July, she reached her first ITF semifinal as a qualifier in the $10k grass-court tournament in Felixstowe before losing to Anna Smith.

She went on to qualify for the next tournament she entered and again faced Smith in the semifinals; however this time Watson was victorious and went on to beat Anna Fitzpatrick in the final to win her first ITF title.

Continuing to compete on the ITF Circuit for the rest of the season, Watson beat Melanie South in round one of a $50k in Barnstaple in October, before being defeated by Kristina Mladenovic in round two.

She ended the 2009 season with a singles ranking of 588.

Watson began 2010 with a wildcard into the $25k event in Sutton, London, where she made the quarterfinals.

She immediately flew to the $100k Midland Classic, losing to qualifier and fellow 17-year-old Beatrice Capra in the first round.

In October 2012, Watson won her first WTA Tour singles title at the Japan Women's Open, becoming the first British woman to win a WTA tournament singles title since Sara Gomer in 1988.

A former British No. 1, Watson has won nine titles over her career, including the mixed-doubles title at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, partnering Henri Kontinen, making her the first British woman to win a major title since Jo Durie in 1991, and the first to win a Wimbledon title since Durie in 1987.