At the 43rd attempt, Watson progressed to the fourth round of a grand slam with a determined 7-6 6-2 win on Court No 1.
A double fault from Watson helped Juvan to the break and the Slovenian threatened to pick up speed as she rediscovered the power of her lethal forehand. At times in the past, it has been a burden that has weighed heavily on Watson but she took to her task with confidence. There was a risk of Watson being left in the shadows but she could now be the last one left standing. As the finish line approached and the size of the task grew larger, a surging Juvan rediscovered her level and forced Watson to save multiple break points to serve it out in one hour and 43 minutes. “It wouldn’t be me if there wasn’t a bit of drama at the end,” Watson said and what a relief it must be to finally cross what has been a daunting hurdle. Emerging from the pain of plucky defeats and first-round exits, Heather Watson reached new ground with a victory over Kaja Juvan that was as impressive in its delivery as cathartic in its outcome.
Key momentsHeather Watson dominates Kaja Juvan 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 to reach Wimbledon fourth round for first timeCameron Norrie on Centre Court later, aiming to ...
She was playing for the fifth successive day, this time against Kaja Juvan, of Slovenia, with the aim of making the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time. “First time in the fourth round. She says the schedulers have been trying to kill her, but she is still alive and kicking after a career-high 7-6, 6-2 triumph.
WIMBLEDON – At the 43rd time of asking, Heather Watson is through to the fourth round of a grand slam after beating Kaja Juvan on No 1 Court.
A smash then ended up in the upper section of the crowd as nerves began to show while she tried to close out the first set. By that stage, Juvan had lost composure, consistently overhitting, but fought her way to the next two games. “It really helps,” she added. Those who stayed away will have missed the customary hybrid of joy and frustration that comes with Watson’s biggest matches. “I actually wasn’t that nervous. You guys [the fans] are what got me over the line at the end.
Heather Watson has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career after an emphatic 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Kaja Juvan.
Watson quickly raced ahead in the second set as she broke Juvan in her opening service game. Juvan ripped a forehand crosscourt winner to reduce the deficit, but Watson restored a two-point advantage with an unreturnable backhand. You guys are what got me over the line there at the end.
Great Britain's Heather Watson has secured her best-ever run at Wimbledon with a 7-6 6-2 win over Kaja Juvan to book a fourth-round spot.
I’m not speechless because I’m blabbing on but I don’t know what to say. ‘There is nowhere I would rather make round four. ‘Wow, what an atmosphere.
Forty third time lucky. For 42 previous Grand Slams, Heather Watson had never made it to the fourth round.
But with Watson serving for the match at 5-0, there was the threat of a comeback when Juvan broke. Afterwards, she said: “It wouldn’t be me if there wasn’t a bit of drama at the end. But despite the 21-year-old clawing back all three set points, Watson took a tight set which could realistically have very easily gone either way.
The British number four beat Kaja Juvan on Court One.
But fourth round for the first time, I’m so happy.” I wasn’t that nervous. There was a Watson-esque wobble at the end – she admitted as much afterwards – but she got over the line with her first match point after five deuces, before collapsing to the turf in delight.
'It wouldn't be me if there wasn't a bit of drama,' Watson said after surviving a late wobble to reach last 16 in straight sets win over Kaja Juvan.
She will face Germany’s Jule Niemeier, the world No 97, for a place in the quarter-finals. Slovenian Juvan, at 69 ranked 40 places above Watson, was a dangerous opponent who had beaten the highly-fancied Beatriz Haddad Maia in round one. Playing at her 12th Wimbledon and in her 43rd major tournament, the British number four thrilled No 1 Court with a landmark 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory.
The Brit's long-awaited Grand Slam milestone was clinched at Wimbledon when she wrapped up a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory Friday on No. 1 Court.
"Really happy to be into the second week of a Grand Slam for singles finally," she told press afterwards. Down a break midway through the first set, she denied Juvan’s attempt to consolidate with an overhead winner. As a decade passed by, the Guernsey native continued to be a mainstay in Grand Slam fields but couldn’t improve upon that initial breakthrough.