The
British player won just three games in Melbourne last year but is ‘happy on and off court’ thanks to her relationship with Yeovil’s Courtney DuffusOn the eve of the 2020
Australian Open, Heather Watson has said her relationship with the
Irish footballer Courtney Duffus has transformed her career – and her life.
Watson, who arrived in Melbourne on Saturday fresh from a run to the semi-finals in Hobart, plays Kristyna Pliskova on Tuesday. There are tougher prospects beyond that in a quarter of the draw that includes sixth seed Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic (No 19), Aryna Sabalenka – who gave world No 1 Ashleigh Barty a good argument in the Adelaide final on Saturday – and, closer to her section, the accomplished Belgian Elise Mertens.