Watson impresses with 6-2, 6-4 win over 17-year-oldRaducanu demonstrates why she is best young
British prospectJust a minute into her first match against a top-100 player, Emma Raducanu stepped to the right side of the baseline and curved a slick slice serve out wide. At 17 years old, Raducanu is the biggest young British prospect in the women’s game and she has shown why this week at the Battle of the Brits, her meaty serve and groundstrokes dominating throughout.
But this time, her first serve actually came back. In a flash, Heather Watson stepped forward to cut off the angle before deflecting all its pace for a screeching down-the-line forehand return winner. It was an omen. Like Johanna Konta, this week at Roehampton marked Watson’s first competitive outing since March and rust caked her game in earlier bouts against far lower-ranked opponents. Across the net from Raducanu, she finally came alive, producing by far the highest level of women’s
Tennis this week to win 6-2, 6-4.